Immunocytochemical mapping of a novel dopamine-releasing protein in the rat brain

This report partially describes, for the first time, the immunocytochemical distribution of a novel dopamine-releasing protein (DARP) in the male rat brain. This glycoprotein detected specifically with a monoclonal antibody against DARP follows a close distribution to that of catecholamines (CA) in areas in the CNS rich in either CA fibers or CA neuron cell groups as previously reported by others using a tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) marker. The striking similarities in the topographic arrangement of the DARP-positive reaction product and the TH-positive reaction product is another argument favoring the view that DARP is involved in the regulation of catecholamine neurons.