Abstract

After in vivo administration, [3H]WIN 35,428 accumulated in mouse brain regions containing dopaminergic nerve terminals. The highest accumulation was in the striatum and it peaked between 30 and 60 min. The accumulation was saturable with increasing doses of WIN 35,428, and was blocked by compounds that bind to the dopamine transporter. Paroxetine, a drug that blocks serotonin transporters, had no effect. Moreover, the in vivo potency of cocaine analogs correlated with their in vitro potency. Thus, [3H]WIN 35,428 is a suitable ligand for labeling cocaine receptors associated with dopamine transporters in vivo.