Striatal and nigral D1 mechanisms involved in the antiparkinsonian effects of SKF 82958 (APB): studies of tremulous jaw movements in rats

Rationale: Previous work has demonstrated that cholinomimetic-induced tremulous jaw movements in rats have temporal and pharmacological characteristics similar to parkinsonian tremor.

Objective: This rodent model was used to characterize the putative antiparkinsonian effects of the full D1 Dopamine Receptor Agonist, SKF 82958.

Methods: Jaw movement activity was induced by the muscarine agonist pilocarpine (4.0 mg/kg IP), and a series of experiments studied the pharmacological characteristics of the reversal of pilocarpine-induced jaw movements by SKF 82958.

Results: SKF 82958 (0.5-2.0 mg/kg IP) reduced the tremulous jaw movements induced by pilocarpine. The suppressive effects of SKF 82958 on jaw movements were dose-dependently reversed by systemic pretreatment with the selective D1 Dopamine Receptor Antagonist SCH 23390 (0.025-0.2 mg/kg IP); SCH 23390 was about 16 times more potent than the D2 antagonist raclopride at reversing the effects of SKF 82958. Intracranial injection of SCH 23390 (0.5-2.0 micrograms/side) into the ventrolateral striatum, the rodent homologue of the human ventral putamen, dose-dependently reversed the reduction of pilocarpine-induced jaw movements produced by SKF 82958. Intracranial injection of SCH 23390 (0.5-2.0 micrograms/side) into the substantia nigra pars reticulata also dose-dependently reversed the reduction by SKF 82958 of pilocarpine-induced jaw movements. Injections of SCH 23390 (2.0 micrograms/side) into control sites dorsal to the striatum or substantia nigra had no effects on the action of SKF 82958. Intranigral (SNr) injections of the GABA-A antagonist bicuculline blocked the suppressive effect of systemically administered SKF 82958 on jaw movement activity.

Conclusions: These data suggest that the antiparkinsonian actions of SKF 82958 may be due to stimulation of D1 receptors in the ventrolateral striatum and substantia nigra pars reticulata. In addition, these results indicate that GABA mechanisms in the substantia nigra pars reticulata may be important for the antiparkinsonian effects of D1 agonists.