Dopamine stimulates epidermal growth factor release from adult neural precursor cells derived from the subventricular zone by a disintegrin and metalloprotease.

Dopamine plays a key role in the regulation of stem cell turnover and neurogenesis in the subventricular zone. This effect is mediated by dopamine-induced release of epidermal growth factor (EGF), to promote stem cell proliferation in this area. We, therefore, sought to investigate whether a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAMs) are implicated in this process, as they have previously been shown to play a role in transactivation of the EGF receptor after stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors. We found that dopamine stimulation of stem cells caused the release of EGF, in agreement with our previous findings. However, the inhibition of ADAMs reversed this effect. Our results support a role for ADAMs in dopamine-induced release of EGF from stem cells in the subventricular zone.