Effect of desipramine on dopamine receptor binding in vivo

Effect of desipramine (given i.p. 30 min prior to the tracer injection) on the in vivo binding of 3H-SCH23390 and 3H-N-methylspiperone (3H-NMSP) in mouse striatum was studied. The ratio of radioactivity in the striatum to that in the cerebellum at 15 min after i.v. injection of 3H-SCH23390 or 45 min after injection of 3H-NMSP were used as indices of dopamine D1 or D2 receptor binding in vivo, respectively. In vivo binding of D1 and D2 receptors was decreased in a dose-dependent manner by acute treatment with desipramine (DMI). A saturation experiment suggested that the DMI-induced reduction in the binding was mainly due to the decrease in the affinity of both receptors. No direct interactions between the dopamine receptors and DMI were observed in vitro by the addition of 1 mM of DMI into striatal homogenate. Other antidepressants such as imipramine, clomipramine, maprotiline and mianserin also decreased the binding of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors. The results indicated an important role of dopamine receptors in the pharmacological effect of antidepressants.