Virally mediated increased neurotensin 1 receptor in the nucleus accumbens decreases behavioral effects of mesolimbic system activation

Dopamine receptor agonist and NMDA receptor antagonist activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system increases locomotion and disrupts prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response (PPI), paradigms frequently used to study both the pharmacology of antipsychotic drugs and drugs of abuse. In rats, virally mediated overexpression of the neurotensin 1 (NT1) receptor in the nucleus accumbens antagonized D-amphetamine- and dizocilpine-induced PPI disruption, hyperlocomotion, and D-amphetamine- induced rearing. The NT receptor antagonist SR 142948A [ 2-[[5-(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-(4-N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N-methylcarbamoyl)-2-isopropylphenyl)- 1H-pyrazole-3-carbonyl]amino]adamantane-2-carboxylic acid, hydrochloride] blocked inhibition of dizocilpine-induced hyperlocomotion mediated by overexpression of the NT1 receptor. Together, these results suggest that increased nucleus accumbens NT neurotransmission, via the NT1 receptor, can decrease the effects of activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system and disruption of the glutamatergic input from limbic cortices, resembling the action of the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine. In contrast to clozapine, virally mediated overexpression of the NT1 receptor in the nucleus accumbens had prolonged protective effects ( up to 4 weeks after viral injection) without perturbing baseline PPI and locomotor behaviors. These data further confirm the NT1 receptor as the receptor mediating the antistimulant- and antipsychotic- like properties of NT and provide rationale for the development of NT1 receptor agonists as novel antipsychotic drugs. In addition, the NT1 receptor vector might be a valuable tool for understanding the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs and drugs of abuse and may have potential therapeutic applications.