Adenosine A2 receptor regulation of apomorphine-induced turning in rats with unilateral striatal dopamine denervation

The ipsilateral intrastriatal administration of the specific adenosine A2a receptor agonist, 2-[p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxamido adenosine (CGS 21680), produced a dose related decrease in apomorphine-induced rotation in the unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat. This effect could be reversed by intrastriatal infusions of the A2a antagonist, 4-amino-1-phenyl[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline (CP 66,713). However, CP 66,713 had no significant effect when infused alone, neither did it influence the response to apomorphine in the absence of CGS 21680. The possible behavioural interactions between A2a receptors and striatal ACh activity were also investigated using this model. Atropine administered intrastriatally in a dose that had no effect on the response to apomorphine reduced the inhibitory effects of CGS 21680 on apomorphine-induced turning. Naloxone also reduced the effects of apomorphine, an effect which could be prevented by the co-administration of atropine, or CP 66,713. These results indicate that adenosine agonists can modulate apomorphine-induced turning by an interaction with both cholinergic and opioidergic mechanisms in the striatum.