Dopamine D2-receptors mediate hypothermia in mice: ICV and IP effects of agonists and antagonists.

The effect of centrally and peripherally administered dopamine D1 and D2 specific compounds on core body temperature in mice was investigated. Quinpirole (LY-17155), a D2 agonist, induced a dose-dependent fall in body temperature (2.4-11.6%; p less than 0.003) when injected intraperitoneally (ip, 0.3-3.0 mg/kg) and intracerebroventricularly (icv, 0.1 mg/kg). This quinpirole-induced (1.0 mg/kg, ip) hypothermia was reversed by the central and peripheral administration of the D2 antagonists S-(-)-sulpiride (3.0-30.0 mg/kg, ip; 0.1-3.0 mg/kg, icv) and spiperone (0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg, ip; 0.03-3.0 mg/kg, icv). Domperidone, a D2 antagonist which does not cross the blood brain barrier, had no effect on quinpirole-induced hypothermia (1.0-10.0 mg/kg, ip). Domperidone partially reversed quinpirole-induced hypothermia at 0.1-30.0 mg/kg, icv. The D1 agonist, SKF-38393 at a high dose of 10.0 mg/kg, ip mildly attenuated quinpirole-induced hypothermia (a 1.8% increase in temperature). SKF-38393 at 10.0 mg/kg, icv potentiated quinpirole-induced hypothermia. SCH-23390 (0.1-3.0 mg/kg, ip), a D1 antagonist, had no effect on quinpirole-induced hypothermia and potentiated the hypothermia when administered icv. An ineffective icv dose of spiperone (0.01 mg/kg) in reversing quinpirole-induced hypothermia was rendered effective by prior administration of SCH-23390 (0.1-3.0 mg/kg, icv) but not by SKF-38393 (1.0-10.0 mg/kg, icv). These data suggest a central D2 receptor mechanism mediating hypothermia in mice which is capable of being modulated by the D1 receptor.