Specific induction of a functional endogenous D2 short dopamine receptor in GH4C1 cells

In contrast to lactotrophs, tumoral pituitary cells like GH3 and GH4C1 lack expression of dopamine D2short and D2long receptors. In GH4C1 cells, we observed that the expression of only the short isoform of D2 receptor can be induced after transfection with a plasmid which confers resistance to neomycin (pRSVNeo). High levels of fully functional D2short receptor were obtained in GH4C1 following transfection (528fmol/mg protein). Sequence, pharmacology and coupling of the induced-D2 receptor do not show any difference with the cloned rat D2 short receptor.