Stoichiometry of tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic systems in vivo: effects of acute haloperidol and related compounds.

Electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle increases (32)P incorporation into striatal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) at Ser (19), Ser(31), and Ser(40). In the present studies, the effects of acute haloperidol and related drugs on sitespecific TH phosphorylation stoichiometry (PS) in the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic systems were determined by quantitative blot immunolabeling using phosphorylation statespecific antibodies. The striatum (Str), substantia nigra (SN), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and ventral tegmental area (VTA) from Sprague-Dawley rats were harvested 30-40 min after a single injection of either vehicle, haloperidol (2 mg/kg), raclopride (2 mg/kg), clozapine (30 mg/kg), or SCH23390 (0.5 mg/kg). In vehicle-injected control rats, Ser(19) PS was 1.5- to 2. 5-fold lower in Str and NAc than in SN and VTA, Ser(31) PS was two-to fourfold higher in Str and NAc than in SN and VTA, and Ser(40) PS was similar between the terminal field and cell body regions. After haloperidol, Ser(40) PS increased twofold in Str and NAc, whereas a smaller increase in SN and VTA was observed. The effects of haloperidol on Ser(19) PS were similar to those on Ser(40) in each region; however, haloperidol treatment increased Ser(31) PS at least 1.6-fold in all regions. The effects of raclopride on TH PS were comparable to those of haloperidol, whereas clozapine treatment increased TH PS at all sites in all regions. By contrast, the effects of SCH23390 on TH PS were relatively small and restricted to the NAc. The stoichiometries of site-specific TH phosphorylation in vivo are presented for the first time. The nigrostriatal and mesolimbic systems have common features of TH PS, distinguished by differences in TH PS between the terminal field and cell body regions and by dissimilar increases in TH PS in the terminal field and cell body regions after acute haloperidol.