D1 but not D4 dopamine receptors are critical for MDMA-induced neurotoxicity in mice.

MDMA, an addictive psychostimulant-consumed worldwide, has the ability to induce neurotoxic effects and addiction in laboratory animals and in humans through its effects on monoaminergic systems. MDMA-induced neurotoxicity in mice occurs primarily in dopaminergic neurons and does not significantly affect the serotonergic system. As the neurotoxic effects of MDMA in mice involve excessive dopamine (DA) release, DA receptors are highly likely to play a role in MDMA neurotoxicity, but the specific dopamine receptor subtypes involved have not previously been determined definitively. In this study, dopamine D1 and D4 receptor knock-out mice (D1R(-/-) and D4R(-/-)) were used to determine whether these receptors are involved in MDMA neurotoxicity. D1R inactivation attenuated MDMA-induced hyperthermia, decreased the reduction of dopamine and dopamine metabolite levels, and protected against dopamine terminal loss and reactive astrogliosis as determined in the striatum, 7 days after MDMA treatment. In sharp contrast, inactivation of D4R did not prevent hyperthermia or the neurotoxic effects of MDMA. Altogether, these results indicate that D1R, but not D4R, plays a significant role in the dopaminergic striatal neurotoxicity observed after exposure to MDMA.

The role of dopamine receptors in the neurotoxicity of methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine is a synthetic drug consumed by millions of users despite its neurotoxic effects in the brain, leading to loss of dopaminergic fibres and cell bodies. Moreover, clinical reports suggest that methamphetamine abusers are predisposed to Parkinson's disease. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the mechanisms involved in methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity. Dopamine receptors may be a plausible target to prevent this neurotoxicity. Genetic inactivation of dopamine D1 or D2 receptors protects against the loss of dopaminergic fibres in the striatum and loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Protection by D1 receptor inactivation is due to blockade of hypothermia, reduced dopamine content and turnover and increased stored vesicular dopamine in D1R(-/-) mice. However, the neuroprotective impact of D2 receptor inactivation is partially dependent on an effect on body temperature, as well as on the blockade of dopamine reuptake by decreased dopamine transporter activity, which results in reduced intracytosolic dopamine levels in D2R(-/-) mice.

Dopamine D(1) receptor deletion strongly reduces neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a potent, highly addictive psychostimulant consumed worldwide. In humans and experimental animals, repeated exposure to this drug induces persistent neurodegenerative changes. Damage occurs primarily to dopaminergic neurons, accompanied by gliosis. The toxic effects of METH involve excessive dopamine (DA) release, thus DA receptors are highly likely to play a role in this process. To define the role of D(1) receptors in the neurotoxic effects of METH we used D(1) receptor knock-out mice (D(1)R(-/-)) and their WT littermates. Inactivation of D(1)R prevented METH-induced dopamine fibre loss and hyperthermia, and increases in gliosis and pro-inflammatory molecules such as iNOS in the striatum. In addition, D(1)R inactivation prevented METH-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. To explore the relationship between hyperthermia and neurotoxicity, METH was given at high ambient temperature (29 °C). In this condition, D(1)R(-/-) mice developed hyperthermia following drug delivery and the neuroprotection provided by D(1)R inactivation at 23 °C was no longer observed. However, reserpine, which empties vesicular dopamine stores, blocked hyperthermia and strongly potentiated dopamine toxicity in D(1)R(-/-) mice, suggesting that the protection afforded by D(1)R inactivation is due to both hypothermia and higher stored vesicular dopamine. Moreover, electrical stimulation evoked higher DA overflow in D(1)R(-/-) mice as demonstrated by fast scan cyclic voltammetry despite their lower basal DA content, suggesting higher vesicular DA content in D(1)R(-/-) than in WT mice. Altogether, these results indicate that the D(1)R plays a significant role in METH-induced neurotoxicity by mediating drug-induced hyperthermia and increasing the releasable cytosolic DA pool.