Dopamine D3 receptor knock-out mice display deficits in locomotor sensitization after chronic morphine administration

Locomotor sensitization is the progressive and enduring enhancement of locomotion induced by stimulants such as drugs, which alter rodent locomotion in a long-standing manner. The dopamine D3 receptor has been reported to play a role in morphine addiction. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of dopamine D3 receptor in the morphine induced locomotor sensitization using dopamine D3 receptor knock-out mice. The dopamine D3 receptor knock-out mice did not display an enhanced behavioral response to acute morphine administration or develop an increased rate of locomotor sensitization to intermittent morphine administration. When 2mg/kg naloxone was co-administered with 10mg/kg morphine, morphine-induced locomotion sensitization in wild-type mice was significantly blocked while the locomotion in the D3 receptor knock-out mice was decreased. Then the wild-type mice were administered with dopamine D3 antagonist nafadotride. It was found that co-administration of morphine with nafadotride could effectively suppress the level of morphine induced behavioral sensitization. It was concluded that a loss of the dopamine D3 receptor gene may inhibit acute morphine induced hyperlocomotor activity and chronic morphine induced behavioral sensitization.