Further characterization of the D2 dopamine receptor expressed in MMQ cells

The D2 dopamine receptor expressed in the MMQ cell line was characterized by saturation binding using the D2 dopamine radioligand [3H]spiperone. The KD for spiperone was 41 pM and the Bmax for these sites was 34 fmol/mg protein. Inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation occurred in response to a variety of D2 agonists, and the agonist effects were reversed by D2 antagonists. Pertussis toxin pretreatment abolished agonist inhibition of cAMP accumulation. In addition, the alpha 2-adrenergic agonist UK 14304 inhibited cAMP accumulation; this effect was reversed by an alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist but not by a D2 antagonist, indicating the presence of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors on these cells. Specific oligonucleotide primers were used in the polymerase chain reaction to determine, by restriction enzyme analysis and Southern blotting, that the long form of the two alternatively spliced variants of the D2 dopamine receptor was the predominant variant expressed in these cells.