Ontogeny of dopamine D3 receptors in the nucleus accumbens of the rat.

The expression of dopamine D2 and D3 receptors in the developing rat nucleus accumbens and striatum was examined using quantitative receptor autoradiography. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed on postnatal day 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, or 60. Sections were labeled with [125I]NCQ 298, which binds to both D2 and D3 receptor subtypes. Binding to D2/D3 receptors in the caudate-putamen appeared as early as P3 (approximately 20% of adult) and approached adult levels (75% of adult) by P21. D2/D3 receptors in the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle developed with a similar time course. [125I]R(+)trans-7-hydroxy-2-(N-n-propyl-N-3'-iodo-2'-propenyl)aminotetra lin ([125I]7-OH-PIPAT) was used to selectively label D3 receptors in adjacent sections. [125I]7-OH-PIPAT binding was absent at P3 and just detectable at P7 and P10 (approximately 5% of adult). Appreciable D3 labeling appeared in the islands of Calleja at P14 and in the nucleus accumbens at P21. [125I]7-OH-PIPAT also detected a very low density of D3 receptors in the caudate-putamen which developed with a profile very similar to that of D3 receptors in the nucleus accumbens. Expression of the D2 receptor subtype therefore appears to precede expression of the D3 receptor subtype. Additionally, D2 receptors in different regions are expressed with a similar developmental profile, but there appears to be more heterogeneity in the ontogeny of forebrain D3 receptor expression.