Colocalization of dopamine receptor subtypes with dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32) in rat brain

In the present study using indirect immunofluorescence immunohistochemistry, co-immunoprecipitation and western blot analysis we determined the colocalization of dopamine receptors 1–5 and dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32) in rat brain cortex and striatum. All five DR subtypes and DARPP-32 were expressed in rat brain cortex and striatum. DARPP-32 positive neurons displayed comparative colocalization with DR1-5. In cingulate cortex, the colocalization of DR subtypes was greatly different from frontal or temporal cortex. D1R is one of the most predominant subtypes which colocalized with DARPP-32 in cortex as well as striatum and followed by D2R, D3R, D4R and D5R. Amongst all DR subtypes D5R was coexpressed the least with DARPP-32 positive neurons. Consistent with immunohistochemical data, western blot analysis also reveals comparable distribution of DR subtypes and DARPP-32 in cortex and striatum. Colocalization studies were also supported by using co-immunoprecipitate assay displaying DARPP-32 expression in DR immunoprecipitate from tissue lysate prepared from cortex and striatum. Taken together our data support receptor specific association of DARPP-32 with DR subtypes that might shed new information in drugs of abuse and pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases as well as neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.