D3receptor test in vitropredicts decreased cocaine selfadministration in rats

The three dopamine agonists with highest reported D3 receptor selectivity in vitro, pramipexole, quinelorane and PD128,907, decreased self-administration of a high dose of cocaine in rats as a result of a leftward shift in the cocaine dose-effect function. In contrast the D3preferring antagonist nafadotride increased cocaine self-administration. Moreover the relative potencies of these and other D2-like dopamine agonists (lisuride, 7-OH-DPAT, quinpirole, apomorphine, bromocriptine) to modulate cocaine self-administration were highly correlated with their relative potencies for increasing mitogenesis in vitroin cell lines expressing D3but not D2receptors. These results support the hypothesis that the D3receptor may be an important target for pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse and dependence.