Heterogeneous tissue-specific transcription of dopamine receptor subtype messenger RNA in rat brain

Abstract

The recent identification through molecular cloning techniques of multiple dopamine receptor subtypes has raised interest in the functional interactions between some of the newly described receptors and their classic counterparts. The dopamine D₅ (D_1B) receptor gene is of particular interest since there is some evidence that its transcriptional tissue distribution is different than that of the D₁ and D₂ receptor genes, possibly implying a unique role for the receptor that this gene encodes. This study compares the relative anatomical distribution of dopamine D₁, D₂, and D₅ receptor mRNAs in the rat brain using Northern blot analysis. The results demonstrate that the patterns of expression for these three genes are quite different and tissue specific. Although levels of D₁ and D₂ mRNA are highest in the striatum, levels of D₅ mRNA are proportionately much higher in the midbrain, hippocampus and hypothalamus. In addition two D₅ mRNA transcripts were detected in the hippocampus, but not in other brain areas. There were tissue-specific differences in the size of D₅ mRNA transcripts in human brain tissue as well. These data may suggest a more specialized role for the dopamine D₅ receptor within the mammalian brain.