Alpha2-adrenergic receptors influence tyrosine hydroxylase activity in retinal dopamine neurons

doi:10.1016/0024-3205(83)90640-9

Life Sciences

Volume 33, Issue 24, 12 December 1983, Pages 2455-2463

https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(83)90640-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

Dopamine (DA) is a putative neurotransmitter in a population of interneurons in the mammalian retina that are activated by photic stimulation. Pharmacological studies were conducted to determine if alpha₂-adrenergic receptors influence the activity of retinal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a biochemical indicator of changes in the activity of the DA-containing neurons. TH activity was low in dark-adapted retinas and high in light-exposed retinas. Systemic administration of the alpha₂-adrenoceptor antagonists, yohimbine and piperoxane, to dark-adapted rats significantly stimulated TH activity. This effect was apparently mediated locally within the retina because the response could also be elicited by direct injection of yohimbine into the vitreous. The dose-response relationships for the effects of alpha₂-adrenoceptor antagonists on retinal TH activity were similar to those for the effects on brain noradrenergic neurons, where alpha₂-adrenoceptors have been shown to be involved in the autoregulation of neuronal activity. Clonidine, an alpha₂-adrenoceptor agonist, had no effect when administered alone to dark-adapted rats, but it attenuated the stimulatory effect of yohimbine. In contrast, clonidine decreased TH activity of light-exposed retinas, an effect that was reversed by yohimbine. These observations suggest that alpha₂-adrenoceptors influence the activity of retinal DA-containing neurons.

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In addition, although Cohen et al., showed that long-term chronic exposure to dim light caused reduced retinal dopamine levels (and more myopia) in emmetropizing chicks (Cohen et al., 2012), there is no evidence that dim light could further reduce the retinal dopamine levels in form-deprived eyes. On the country, the adaptive (Dubocovich, Lucas, & Takahashi, 1985; Porceddu et al., 1987) and multifactorial retinal dopaminergic system (Brainard & Morgan, 1987; Cohen, Iuvone, & Neff, 1981; Hadjiconstantinou, Cohen, & Neff, 1983; M.P. Iuvone, Galli, Garrison-Gund, & Neff, 1978; P.M. Iuvone & Rauch, 1983; Marshburn & Iuvone, 1981; Proll, Kamp, & Morgan, 1982; Stone et al., 1989) might be able to compensate for the decreases in dopamine production induced by the relative drop in absolute ambient illuminance (~50 lx vs. ~500 lx), at least for eyes that are permitted unrestricted vision. In this regard, Landis et al. have shown that, whereas the level of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the retina showed light-intensity dependency, rearing with chronic exposures to reduced ambient lighting (0.005 lx and 50 lx) did not have significant effects on retinal dopamine levels in mice in comparison to higher ambient lighting (Landis et al., 2019).
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Alpha2-adrenergic receptors influence tyrosine hydroxylase activity in retinal dopamine neurons

Abstract

Brain Res.

Neurosci. Lett.

Life Sci.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Brain Res.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Brain Res.

Pharmacol. Res. Comm.

Vis. Res.

Anal. Biochem.

J. Biol. Chem.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Brain Res.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Life Sci.

Acta Physiol. Scand.

Adv. Biochem. Psychopharmacol.

Science

Acta Physiol. Scand.

Invest. Opthalmol.

Alpha₂-adrenergic receptors influence tyrosine hydroxylase activity in retinal dopamine neurons