title: Differential gene expression of dopamine D-2 receptor subtypes in rat chromaffin cells and sympathetic neurons in culture.
abstract: Chromaffin cells and sympathetic neurons arise from a common bipotential progenitor which, if exposed to nerve growth factor (NGF), matures into a sympathetic neuron, but if exposed to glucocorticoids (GCs), differentiates into a mature chromaffin cell. Pharmacological evidence indicates that, in adrenal medulla and sympathetic neurons, dopamine (DA) receptors belonging to the D-2 family inhibit catecholamine secretion. The molecular characterization of these receptors, however, is not been yet described. Our data suggest that bipotential cells obtained from newborn rat adrenal medulla express both isoforms of the D-2 receptor, while D-3 receptor and D-4 receptor messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are not present. GC-mediated maturation induces the expression of D-4 receptors, without modification of D-2 isoforms. Sympathetic neurons differentiated in vitro selectively express the D-2short mRNA. Taken together, present results suggest that NGF and GCs play a role in regulating D-2 family receptor expression in neural crest-derived cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Brescia, University Medical School, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sigala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Missale
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tognazzi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019439:Chromaffin Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C493595:Drd3 protein, rat; C493601:Drd4 protein, rat; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D003907:Dexamethasone; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor