Regulator of G protein signaling-12 modulates the dopamine transporter in ventral striatum and locomotor responses to psychostimulants
- PMID:29364035
- PMCID: PMC5942192
- DOI: 10.1177/0269881117742100
Regulator of G protein signaling-12 modulates the dopamine transporter in ventral striatum and locomotor responses to psychostimulants
Abstract
Regulators of G protein signaling are proteins that accelerate the termination of effector stimulation after G protein-coupled receptor activation. Many regulators of G protein signaling proteins are highly expressed in the brain and therefore considered potential drug discovery targets for central nervous system pathologies; for example, here we show that RGS12 is highly expressed in microdissected mouse ventral striatum. Given a role for the ventral striatum in psychostimulant-induced locomotor activity, we tested whether Rgs12 genetic ablation affected behavioral responses to amphetamine and cocaine. RGS12 loss significantly decreased hyperlocomotion to lower doses of both amphetamine and cocaine; however, other outcomes of administration (sensitization and conditioned place preference) were unaffected, suggesting that RGS12 does not function in support of the rewarding properties of these psychostimulants. To test whether observed response changes upon RGS12 loss were caused by changes to dopamine transporter expression and/or function, we prepared crude membranes from the brains of wild-type and RGS12-null mice and measured dopamine transporter-selective [3H]WIN 35428 binding, revealing an increase in dopamine transporter levels in the ventral-but not dorsal-striatum of RGS12-null mice. To address dopamine transporter function, we prepared striatal synaptosomes and measured [3H]dopamine uptake. Consistent with increased [3H]WIN 35428 binding, dopamine transporter-specific [3H]dopamine uptake in RGS12-null ventral striatal synaptosomes was found to be increased. Decreased amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and increased [3H]WIN 35428 binding were recapitulated with an independent RGS12-null mouse strain. Thus, we propose that RGS12 regulates dopamine transporter expression and function in the ventral striatum, affecting amphetamine- and cocaine-induced increases in dopamine levels that specifically elicit acute hyperlocomotor responses.
Keywords: Amphetamine; cocaine; dopamine transporter; regulators of G protein signaling.
Conflict of interest statement
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Figures





Similar articles
- Role of RGS12 in the differential regulation of kappa opioid receptor-dependent signaling and behavior.Gross JD, Kaski SW, Schmidt KT, Cogan ES, Boyt KM, Wix K, Schroer AB, McElligott ZA, Siderovski DP, Setola V.Gross JD, et al.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2019 Sep;44(10):1728-1741. doi: 10.1038/s41386-019-0423-7. Epub 2019 May 29.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2019.PMID:31141817Free PMC article.
- Genetic deletion ofRgs12 in mice affects serotonin transporter expression and functionin vivo andex vivo.White AN, Gross JD, Kaski SW, Trexler KR, Wix KA, Wetsel WC, Kinsey SG, Siderovski DP, Setola V.White AN, et al.J Psychopharmacol. 2020 Dec;34(12):1393-1407. doi: 10.1177/0269881120944160. Epub 2020 Aug 25.J Psychopharmacol. 2020.PMID:32842837Free PMC article.
- G protein-coupled receptor signaling in VTA dopaminergic neurons bidirectionally regulates the acute locomotor response to amphetamine but does not affect behavioral sensitization.Runegaard AH, Dencker D, Wörtwein G, Gether U.Runegaard AH, et al.Neuropharmacology. 2019 Dec 15;161:107663. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.06.002. Epub 2019 Jun 4.Neuropharmacology. 2019.PMID:31173760
- Psychostimulants affect dopamine transmission through both dopamine transporter-dependent and independent mechanisms.Dela Peña I, Gevorkiana R, Shi WX.Dela Peña I, et al.Eur J Pharmacol. 2015 Oct 5;764:562-570. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2015.07.044. Epub 2015 Jul 21.Eur J Pharmacol. 2015.PMID:26209364Free PMC article.Review.
- Regulation of psychostimulant-induced signaling and gene expression in the striatum.McGinty JF, Shi XD, Schwendt M, Saylor A, Toda S.McGinty JF, et al.J Neurochem. 2008 Mar;104(6):1440-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05240.x. Epub 2008 Jan 21.J Neurochem. 2008.PMID:18221378Free PMC article.Review.
Cited by
- A role for Regulator of G protein Signaling-12 (RGS12) in the balance between myoblast proliferation and differentiation.Schroer AB, Mohamed JS, Willard MD, Setola V, Oestreich E, Siderovski DP.Schroer AB, et al.PLoS One. 2019 Aug 13;14(8):e0216167. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216167. eCollection 2019.PLoS One. 2019.PMID:31408461Free PMC article.
- Programming of Dopaminergic Neurons by Early Exposure to Sex Hormones: Effects on Morphine-Induced Accumbens Dopamine Release, Reward, and Locomotor Behavior in Male and Female Rats.Velásquez VB, Zamorano GA, Martínez-Pinto J, Bonansco C, Jara P, Torres GE, Renard GM, Sotomayor-Zárate R.Velásquez VB, et al.Front Pharmacol. 2019 Mar 26;10:295. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00295. eCollection 2019.Front Pharmacol. 2019.PMID:30971928Free PMC article.
- Regulator of G protein signaling 12 enhances osteoclastogenesis by suppressing Nrf2-dependent antioxidant proteins to promote the generation of reactive oxygen species.Ng AYH, Li Z, Jones MM, Yang S, Li C, Fu C, Tu C, Oursler MJ, Qu J, Yang S.Ng AYH, et al.Elife. 2019 Sep 6;8:e42951. doi: 10.7554/eLife.42951.Elife. 2019.PMID:31490121Free PMC article.
- The Potential Role of R4 Regulators of G Protein Signaling (RGS) Proteins in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.Zhang X, Lv H, Mei J, Ji B, Huang S, Li X.Zhang X, et al.Cells. 2022 Dec 2;11(23):3897. doi: 10.3390/cells11233897.Cells. 2022.PMID:36497154Free PMC article.Review.
- Preclinical Testing of Nalfurafine as an Opioid-sparing Adjuvant that Potentiates Analgesia by the Mu Opioid Receptor-targeting Agonist Morphine.Kaski SW, White AN, Gross JD, Trexler KR, Wix K, Harland AA, Prisinzano TE, Aubé J, Kinsey SG, Kenakin T, Siderovski DP, Setola V.Kaski SW, et al.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2019 Nov;371(2):487-499. doi: 10.1124/jpet.118.255661. Epub 2019 Sep 6.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2019.PMID:31492823Free PMC article.
References
- Berg P, Olsson U. Intra-articular injection of non-animal stabilised hyaluronic acid (NASHA) for osteoarthritis of the hip: A pilot study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2004;22:300–306. - PubMed
- Berman DM, Wilkie TM, Gilman AG. GAIP and RGS4 are GTPase-activating proteins for the Gi subfamily of G protein alpha subunits. Cell. 1996;86:445–452. - PubMed
- Bolan EA, Kivell B, Jaligam V, et al. D2 receptors regulate dopamine transporter function via an extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2-dependent and phosphoinositide 3 kinase-independent mechanism. Mol Pharmacol. 2007;71:1222–1232. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Molecular Biology Databases
Miscellaneous