Effects of calcium-antagonists on dopamine release in the central nervous system--possible interactions with D2-autoreceptors and guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins.

The effects of calcium antagonists (verapamil and nicardipine) on central dopaminergic activity were investigated in vitro. Rat striatal slices prelabelled with (3H)dopamine and superfused with Krebs-solution were stimulated electrically at a frequency of 1 Hz. Exposure to verapamil (3.3 x 10(-7) - 1 x 10(-5) M) significantly increased both basal and stimulation-evoked (3H)dopamine release in a concentration-dependent manner. Nicardipine produced no changes in stimulation-evoked (3H)dopamine release, although a high concentration of nicardipine slightly increased basal release of (3H)dopamine. Exogenously applied unlabelled dopamine (1 x 10(-7) M) inhibited the stimulation-evoked (3H)dopamine release. Verapamil (1 x 10(-6) M) significantly antagonized the capacity of the unlabelled dopamine to inhibit stimulation-induced (3H)dopamine release. The blockade of D2-receptors by a preferential D2-antagonist, sulpiride, reduced the facilitatory effect of verapamil on stimulation-induced (3H)dopamine release. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin, which interferes with the coupling of the inhibitory guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins to adenylate cyclase, significantly diminished the effects of verapamil on stimulation-induced (3H)dopamine release. The results of the present study show that verapamil (but not nicardipine) increased dopamine release in rat striatum, at least partially via interactions with the D2-dopamine autoreceptors and the pertussis toxin-sensitive guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins. Furthermore, a close interaction between verapamil and the dopamine receptors might partially explain the central effects of verapamil.