Dopaminergic 3H-agonist receptors in rat brain: new evidence on localization and pharmacology

Recent methodological advances have allowed the reliable assay of specific dopaminergic 3H-agonist binding sites in rat striatum. Lesions of dopamine(DA) terminals or drugs which deplete DA levels prevent the preincubation-induced increase in binding, and this effect is completely reversible by preincubation with added DA. It is concluded that the evidence supporting the existence of presynaptic D-3 sites is artefactual and that 3H-DA binding sites are more likely related to post-synaptic receptors. 3H-DA binding involves two sites, one of which has pharmacologic properties similar to D-1 receptors, whereas the other resembles D-2 receptors. The affinity of 15 antipsychotic drugs for 3H-haloperidol binding sites was highly correlated (R = 0.94) with their inhibitory potency at a subset of 3H-DA binding sites. However, the inhibition of 3H-DA binding by antipsychotic drugs was noncompetitive. These findings can be explained by an allosteric model, whereby antagonists bind to a site different from but allosterically linked to a high-affinity 3H-DA binding site