D-2 dopamine receptors inhibit release of aspartate and glutamate in rat retina.

Release of endogenous Asp, Glu and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been investigated using synaptosomes prepared from rat retina. Exposure in superfusion to a depolarizing concentration of KCl (30 mM) evoked overflow of Asp and Glu, which were almost entirely Ca-dependent. However, 70% of the GABA release was Ca-independent. Dopamine (DA) almost completely inhibited the K(+)-evoked release of Asp and Glu in a concentration-dependent manner, but the release of GABA was only partly inhibited. The potencies of DA (IC50) to Asp and Glu release were 12 and 30 nM, respectively. A selective D-2 receptor antagonist, S-sulpiride, counteracted the DA-induced inhibition of Asp and Glu release, but a selective D-1 antagonist, SCH 23390, showed no effect. The data suggest that D-2 dopamine receptors located on the Asp and Glu neurons in rat retina may inhibit the release of these excitatory amino acids.