title: Sensitization of G protein-coupled benzodiazepine receptors in the striatum of 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats.
abstract: The nonselective benzodiazepine (BZ) agonist diazepam is a potent inhibitor of adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity in the rat striatum. To examine this inhibitory action of diazepam further, its effects were examined in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned animals, which reportedly exhibit sensitization of the striatal AC pathway. As previously observed, inhibition of AC activity by diazepam was biphasic, with the first phase being receptor-mediated, whereas the second phase involves a direct action on the enzyme itself. In the presence of NaCl (120 mM), a marked sensitization to the receptor-mediated inhibitory effect of diazepam on AC activity was observed in striatal membranes of lesioned animals. EC50 values were 10.4 +/- 1.1 and 4.8 +/- 0.9 nM (p < 0.05) for intact and lesioned striata, respectively. An examination of [3H]diazepam binding revealed a significant increase in the density of binding sites in denervated striata, with no change in affinity. A time-dependent increase in [alpha-32P]GTP labeling of two distinct striatal proteins with apparent molecular masses of 40 and 45 kDa, suggestive of the alpha subunits of Gi and Gs, respectively, was observed. There was a significant increase in basal [alpha-32P]GTP binding to both proteins in lesioned striata. In addition, diazepam stimulated [alpha-32P]GTP binding to the 40-kDa protein, especially in lesioned striata. These data indicate that the sensitization of the receptor-mediated inhibitory effect of diazepam on AC activity in denervated striata may involve up-regulation of BZ receptors as well as enhanced functional coupling of these receptors to inhibitory G proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tenn
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Niles
mesh_terms: D000067956:Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003975:Diazepam / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D016627:Oxidopamine; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D000067956:Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D014316:Tritium; D005576:Colforsin; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D016627:Oxidopamine; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases; D003975:Diazepam