DARPP-32 and NCS-1 Expression is not Altered in Brains of Rats Treated with Typical or Atypical Antipsychotics

• Published in: Neurochemical research 2008-03, Vol.33 (3), p.533-538
• Main Authors: Souza, Bruno R., Motta, Bernardo S., Rosa, Daniela V. F., Torres, Karen C. L., Castro, Adalberto A., Comim, Clarissa M., Sampaio, André M., Lima, Fabrício F., Jeromin, Andreas, Quevedo, João, Romano-Silva, Marco A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antipsychotic Agents - pharmacology; Antipsychotics; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blotting, Western; Brain Chemistry - drug effects; Cell Biology; Densitometry; Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32 - biosynthesis; Male; Neurochemistry; Neurology; Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins - biosynthesis; Neuropeptides - biosynthesis; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - biosynthesis; Up-Regulation - drug effects
• ISSN: 0364-3190; 1573-6903
• DOI: 10.1007/s11064-007-9470-2

Dopamine-mediated neurotransmission imbalances are associated with several psychiatry illnesses, such as schizophrenia. Recently it was demonstrated that two proteins involved in dopamine signaling are altered in prefrontal cortex (PFC) of schizophrenic patients. DARPP-32 is a key downstream effector of intracellular signaling pathway and is downregulated in PFC of schizophrenic subjects. NCS-1 is a neuronal calcium sensor that can inhibit dopamine receptor D 2 internalization and is upregulated in PFC of schizophrenic subjects. It is well known that dopamine D 2 receptor is the main target of antipsychotic. Therefore, our purpose was to study if chronic treatment with typical or atypical antipsychotics induced alterations in DARPP-32 and NCS-1 expression in five brain regions: prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, cortex and cerebellum. We did not find any changes in DARPP-32 and NCS-1 protein expression in any brain region investigated.