Dysbindin-1 modifies signaling and cellular localization of recombinant, human D3 and D2 receptors

Dystrobrevin binding protein-1 (dysbindin-1), a candidate gene for schizophrenia, modulates cognition, synaptic plasticity and frontocortical circuitry and interacts with glutamatergic and dopaminergic transmission. Loss of dysbindin-1 modifies cellular trafficking of dopamine D2 receptors to increase cell surface expression, but its influence upon signaling has never been characterized. Further, the effects of dysbindin-1 upon closely-related D3 receptors remain unexplored. Hence, we examined the impact of dysbindin-1 (isoform A) co-expression on the localization and coupling of human D2L and D3 receptors stably expressed in CHO or SH-SY5Y cells lacking endogenous dysbindin-1. Dysbindin-1 co-transfection decreased cell surface expression of both D3 and D2L receptors. Further, while their affinity for DA was unchanged, dysbindin-1 reduced the magnitude and potency of DA-induced adenylate cylase recruitment/cAMP production. Dysbindin-1 also blunted the amplitude of DA-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt at both D2L and D3 receptors without, in contrast to cAMP, affecting the potency of DA. Interference with calveolin/clathrin-mediated processes of internalization prevented the modification by dysbindin-1 of ERK1/2 and adenylyl cyclase stimulation at D2L and D3 receptors. Finally, underpinning the specificity of the influence of dysbindin-1 on D2L and D3 receptors, dysbindin-1 did not modify recruitment of adenylyl cyclase by D1 receptors. These observations demonstrate that dysbindin-1 influences cell surface expression of D3 in addition to D2L receptors, and that it modulates activation of their signaling pathways. Accordingly, both a deficiency and an excess of dysbindin-1 may be disruptive for dopaminergic transmission, supporting its link to schizophrenia and other CNS disorders. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.