title: Dopamine receptor mRNAs in the rat lymphocytes.
abstract: It has been suggested that dopamine might play a role in the regulation of the immune system. In this study, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to investigate the expression of mRNA for the different subtypes of dopamine receptors in the rat lymphocytes. D1, D3 and D5 receptor mRNAs were identified. These results provide further evidence for the interaction of dopamine systems and the immune system, and suggest to further investigate whether the immunosuppressive actions of dopamine and dopaminergic drugs might depend on a direct interaction with dopamine receptors on the lymphocyte membrane. Moreover, they suggest the suitability of this animal species to further investigate the correlation between changes in the expression of central and peripheral dopamine receptors produced by manipulations of the dopamine systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caronti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calderaro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Passarelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palladini
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Pontieri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000737:chemistry; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000235:genetics*; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000235:genetics; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D050641:Receptors, Dopamine D5
chemical_list: C493595:Drd3 protein, rat; C493601:Drd4 protein, rat; C493607:Drd5 protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D050641:Receptors, Dopamine D5; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase