Technology Overview
Researchers at OHSU have developed a strain of mice that are genetically deficient in the D4 dopamine receptor.  These mice provide a new animal model for the study of the function of the D4 receptor. Homozygous mice may exhibit locomotor supersensitivity to ethanol, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as alterations in dopamine synthesis and function, glutamate levels and metabolism, behavioral responses to novelty, and spontaneous locomotor activity in both novel and familiar environments. They can also be used to study the actions and specificity of newly discovered dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists for treatment of numerous psychiatric conditions, addiction, depression and other CNS-related diseases including Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.

Breeding pairs are available which have been backcrossed 30 generations on the congenic C57BL/6J background.

Competitive Environment
No other D4 receptor knock-out mice are known to exist.

Inventor Profiles
Malcolm Low received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Tufts University in 1987. He earned his B.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his M.D. from Albany Medical College. He did an internship and residency at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago and then spent three years as a clinical and research fellow in Neuroendocrinology at the New England Medical Center. From 1985 to 1989, Low held concurrent positions on the faculty at Tufts and as a physician at the Medical Center. He came to the Vollum Institute at OHSU in 1990 and was promoted to scientist in 1994. He holds a joint appointment as professor in the Department of Behavioral Neuroscience in the School of Medicine.

David Grandy received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 1985.  Dr. Grandy’s training was in both microbiology and molecular biology. For the last 25 years his research has focused on the cloning and deorphanization of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and the discovery of novel ligands for these receptors.  Dr. Grandy is currently a Professor in the Physiology & Pharmacology Department at OHSU and joint appointment in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.

Selected Publications
Rubinstein et al. Cell 1997, 90(6):991-1001

Kruzich et al. Synapse 2004, 53(2):131-139

Thomas et al. J. Neurosci. Methods 2007, 166(2):306-314

Helms et al. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2008, 90(3):387-393

Licensing Opportunity
Breeding pairs or cryopreserved embryos are available for non-exclusive licensing.