title: Anti-proliferative effects and cell death mediated by two isoforms of dopamine D2 receptors in pituitary tumor cells.
abstract: Stable rat pituitary tumor cell lines expressing two isoforms of the dopamine D2 receptor, D2L (long) and D2S (short) (the GH3D2L and GH3D2S cell lines, respectively), were established, and the signaling pathway underlying the anti-proliferative and cell death effects of dopaminergic agonists was examined in these cells. After either dopamine or quinpirole treatment, the cell viability decreased significantly only in GH3D2L cells and GH3D2S cells, but not in GH3 cells where D2 receptors are absent. Treatment with haloperidol, a specific D2 receptor antagonist, rescued the dopamine-mediated decreased cell viability in both the GH3D2L and GH3D2S cells. Treatment of these cells with dopamine decreased the DNA synthesis rate, as demonstrated by the incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Dopamine-induced cell death was observed in the GH3D2L and GH3D2S cells, and was accompanied by DNA laddering and caspase-3 activation, which were blunted by haloperidol, indicating that dopamine-induced cell death in these cells is mediated by the dopamine D2 receptors. D2 receptor-mediated cell death in these cells correlated with the sustained and enhanced activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 pathways. Treatment with SB203580, which is a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor and PD98059, which is an inhibitor of MEK1/ERK signaling, selectively abrogates dopamine-induced cell death. It was further shown that p38 MAPK and ERK activation was inhibited by the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and that a treatment with haloperidol completely blocked the p38 and ERK activation induced by dopamine. These results suggest that dopamine induces an anti-proliferative effect and cell death via the dopamine D2 receptors, by means of the p38 MAPK and ERK pathways involving oxidative stress, in the pituitary tumor cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University, Shinchon-dong 134, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, South Korea.
authors.forename: Juan Ji
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Sang-Rae
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Dae Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Kye Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Ja-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004298:Dopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D004298:Dopamine