Dopamine induces apoptosis in cultured rat striatal neurons; possible mechanism of D2-dopamine receptor neuron loss during aging

Abstract

We examined D2-dopamine receptor containing neurons in cultures of neonatal rat striatum for apoptosis following dopamine treatment. Exposure to cultures to micromolar concentrations of dopamine resulted in 60-70% killing of D2-dopamine receptor neurons within 24 hr. We also utilized a double labeling procedure to determine that treatment with dopamine induced apoptosis in D2-dopamine receptor containing neurons. These results suggest that loss of D2-dopamine receptor containing neurons during aging could be due to an apoptotic effect of dopamine.