Fumagalli Fabio, Bedogni Francesco, Maragnoli Maria Elisabetta, Gennarelli Massimo, Perez Jorge, Racagni Giorgio, Riva Marco Andrea
Center of Neuropharmacology, Center of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Pharmacological Sciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
J Neurosci Res. 2003 Oct 1;74(1):74-80. doi: 10.1002/jnr.10733.
We have investigated the role of dopaminergic receptors in modulation of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) expression in rat prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, two brain regions important for cognition. We found that FGF-2 expression is upregulated by quinpirole, a D2 agonist, in prefrontal cortex and to a lesser extent in hippocampus. This modulation was specific for dopamine D2 receptors because no effect was observed when the dopamine D1 and D3 agonists, SKF38393 and 7-OH-DPAT, respectively, were administered. Our findings show that activation of dopaminergic D2 receptors modulates FGF-2 expression in rat prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Our data highlight the complex modulation of FGF-2 expression in limbic areas pointing to this trophic molecule as a putative target of drugs used against acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
