title: Dopamine agonist-induced hypothermia and disruption of prepulse inhibition: evidence for a role of D3 receptors?
abstract: The dopamine D3/D2 receptor agonists 7-OH-DPAT, quinpirole, quinelorane, and PD128907, the mixed dopamine agonist apomorphine, the D2 agonist bromocriptine, and the D1/D5 agonist SKF38393 were examined in models of hypothermia and prepulse inhibition (PPI) in Wistar rats. As dopamine agonist-induced hypothermia has been proposed as a model of D3 receptor function, and dopamine agonists are known to disrupt PPI, drug potencies to induce hypothermia were established and compared with doses necessary to disrupt PPI. 7-OH-DPAT, quinpirole, quinelorane, PD128907, and apomorphine, reduced body temperature and disrupted PPI with a similar rank order of potency (quinelorane > quinpirole = 7-OH-DPAT > PD128907 = apomorphine). Bromocriptine and SKF38393 were ineffective in both models. In a separate study, the dopamine reuptake inhibitors cocaine and GBR 12909 had no effect on PPI. In a final set of studies, the D2/D3 antagonist raclopride blocked both 7-OH-DPAT-induced hypothermia and 7-OH-DPAT-induced PPI disruption. The 5-HT1A antagonist WAY 100,135, and the peripheral D2-like antagonist domperidone had no effect. These findings suggest that the hypothermia and PPI disruptions seen with some of these dopamine agonists may be mediated by central D3 receptors; however, only studies using more selective dopamine receptor ligands can definitively rule out effects at the D2 or D4 receptors.
authors.affiliation: Glaxo Unit for Behavioural Psychopharmacology, University of Hertfordshire, UK. Geoffrey.Varty@SPCorp.com
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Varty
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004294:Domperidone / Q000494:pharmacology; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D020891:Raclopride; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects*; D012457:Salicylamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; C493595:Drd3 protein, rat; D010879:Piperazines; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D012457:Salicylamides; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; C081293:WAY 100135; D020891:Raclopride; D004294:Domperidone; C043425:vanoxerine; D003042:Cocaine