Transient decrease in rat striatal D 2 dopamine receptor mRNA level after acute haloperidol treatment

Abstract

Acute haloperidol administration decreases the number of rat striatal D 2 dopamine receptor (D 2-receptor). The potential involvement of decreased D 2-receptor gene transcription in the above process was examined using Northern blot analysis. There was a dose- and time-dependent transient decrement in the level of striatal D 2-receptor mRNA after haloperidol. The decrease in transcription may be mediated via blockade of D 2-receptor, since S(−)-sulpiride but not the inactive enantiomer R(+)-sulpiride produced the inhibition.