[3H]GBR‐12935 Binding to the Dopamine Transporter Is Decreased in the Caudate Nucleus in Parkinson's Disease

Aaron Janowsky, Frank Vocci, Paul Berger, Itzchak Angel, Nethanel Zelnik, Joel E. Kleinman, Phil Skolnick, Steven M. Paul

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

81 Scopus citations

Abstract

The specific binding of [3H]GBR‐12935 to membranes prepared from human caudate nucleus is saturable (Bmax 1.36 ± 0.18 pmol/mg protein), sodium dependent, and of high affinity (KD 2.34 ± 0.18 nM). Freezing of tissue from rat brain, or refrigeration followed by freezing, results in a small but significant (20%) decrease in specific [3H]GBR‐12935 binding when compared to the binding observed in fresh (nonfrozen) tissue, and this decrease may account, in part, for the differences in specific binding between rat and human brain membranes. Despite small differences in binding site density between fresh and frozen tissue there is a good correlation (r= 0.98; p < 0.01) between the potencies of a series of drugs in displacing specific [3H]GBR‐12935 binding to human caudate membranes and rat striatum as well as in inhibiting dopamine uptake in rat striatal synaptosomes (r= 0.96; p < 0.01). The specific binding of [3H]GBR‐12935 to membranes prepared from the caudate nuclei of patients with Parkinson's disease is decreased compared to membranes prepared from age‐and sex‐matched controls. These data suggest that [3H]GBR‐12935 binds in a sodium‐dependent fashion to the dopamine transport complex in human brain and that specific binding is decreased by a pathological degeneration of dopaminergic neurons to the caudate nucleus.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)617-621
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Neurochemistry
Volume49
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1987
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Caudate nucleus
  • Dopamine transport complex
  • Parkinson's disease
  • [H]GBR‐12935

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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