1. Genetic Alteration of α2C-Adrenoceptor Expression in Mice: Influence on Locomotor, Hypothermic, and Neurochemical Effects of Dexmedetomidine, a Subtype-Nonselective α2-Adrenoceptor Agonist
- Author
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Gregory S. Barsh, Richard E. Link, Timo Viitamaa, Antti Haapalinna, Tiina Leino, Birgitta Sjöholm, Ewen MacDonald, Brian K. Kobilka, Maya Kulatunga, Markku Pelto-Huikko, Mika Scheinin, and Jukka Sallinen
- Subjects
Agonist ,medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.drug_class ,Alpha (ethology) ,Motor Activity ,Pharmacology ,Body Temperature ,Mice ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Neurochemical ,Idazoxan ,Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 ,Dopamine ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Animals ,Biogenic Monoamines ,RNA, Messenger ,Receptor ,Brain Chemistry ,Chemistry ,Homovanillic acid ,Imidazoles ,Medetomidine ,Mice, Inbred C57BL ,Endocrinology ,Adrenergic alpha-Agonists ,Mice, Inbred DBA ,Autoradiography ,Molecular Medicine ,medicine.drug - Abstract
alpha 2-Adrenergic receptors (alpha 2-ARs) regulate many physiological functions and are targets for clinically important antihypertensive and anesthetic agents. Three human and mouse genes encoding alpha 2-AR subtypes (alpha 2A, alpha 2B, and alpha 2C) have been cloned. We investigated the involvement of the alpha 2C-AR in alpha 2-adrenergic pharmacology by applying molecular genetic techniques to alter the expression of alpha 2C-AR in mice. The effects of dexmedetomidine, a subtype-nonselective alpha 2-AR agonist, on monoamine turnover in brain and on locomotor activity were similar in mice with targeted inactivation of the alpha 2C-AR gene and in their controls, but the hypothermic effect of the alpha 2-AR agonist was significantly attenuated by the receptor gene inactivation. Correspondingly, another strain of transgenic mice with 3-fold overexpression of alpha 2C-AR in striatum and other brain regions expressing alpha 2C-AR showed normal reductions in brain monoamine metabolism and locomotor activity after dexmedetomidine, but their hypothermic response to the alpha 2C-AR agonists was significantly accentuated. The hypothermic effect of alpha 2-AR agonists thus seems to be mediated in part by alpha 2C-AR. Some small but statistically significant differences between the strains were also noted in brain dopamine metabolism. Lack of alpha 2C-AR expression was linked with reduced levels of homovanillic acid in brain, and mice with increased alpha 2C-AR expression had elevated concentrations of the dopamine metabolite compared with their controls.
- Published
- 1997