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Molecular Psychiatry Feb 2022The human dopamine transporter gene SLC6A3 has been consistently implicated in several neuropsychiatric diseases but the disease mechanism remains elusive. In this risk...
The human dopamine transporter gene SLC6A3 has been consistently implicated in several neuropsychiatric diseases but the disease mechanism remains elusive. In this risk synthesis, we have concluded that SLC6A3 represents an increasingly recognized risk with a growing number of familial mutants associated with neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. At least five loci were related to common and severe diseases including alcohol use disorder (high activity variant), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (low activity variant), autism (familial proteins with mutated networking) and movement disorders (both regulatory variants and familial mutations). Association signals depended on genetic markers used as well as ethnicity examined. Strong haplotype selection and gene-wide epistases support multimarker assessment of functional variations and phenotype associations. Inclusion of its promoter region's functional markers such as DNPi (rs67175440) and 5'VNTR (rs70957367) may help delineate condensate-based risk action, testing a locus-pathway-phenotype hypothesis for one gene-multidisease etiology.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Haplotypes; Humans; Mutation; Phenotype
PubMed: 34650206
DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01341-5 -
Pharmacology & Therapeutics Mar 2018HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remains highly prevalent in HIV infected individuals and represents a special group of neuropathological disorders, which... (Review)
Review
HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remains highly prevalent in HIV infected individuals and represents a special group of neuropathological disorders, which are associated with HIV-1 viral proteins, such as transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein. Cocaine abuse increases the incidence of HAND and exacerbates its severity by enhancing viral replication. Perturbation of dopaminergic transmission has been implicated as a risk factor of HAND. The presynaptic dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) is essential for DA homeostasis and dopaminergic modulation of the brain function including cognition. Tat and cocaine synergistically elevate synaptic DA levels by acting directly on human DAT (hDAT), ultimately leading to dysregulation of DA transmission. Through integrated computational modeling and experimental validation, key residues have been identified in hDAT that play a critical role in Tat-induced inhibition of DAT and induce transporter conformational transitions. This review presents current information regarding neurological changes in DAT-mediated dopaminergic system associated with HIV infection, DAT-mediated adaptive responses to Tat as well as allosteric modulatory effects of novel compounds on hDAT. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which Tat induces DAT-mediated dysregulation of DA system is of great clinical interest for identifying new targets for an early therapeutic intervention for HAND.
Topics: AIDS Dementia Complex; Animals; Dopamine; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Humans; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
PubMed: 28987321
DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2017.10.007 -
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity May 2018The second-most common neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's Disease (PD) has three hallmarks: dysfunctional dopamine transmission due, at least in part, to dopamine... (Review)
Review
The second-most common neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's Disease (PD) has three hallmarks: dysfunctional dopamine transmission due, at least in part, to dopamine neuron degeneration; intracellular inclusions of α-synuclein aggregates; and neuroinflammation. The origin and interplay of these features remains a puzzle, as does the underlying mechanism of PD pathogenesis and progression. When viewed in the context of neuroimmunology, dopamine also plays a role in regulating peripheral immune cells. Intriguingly, plasma dopamine levels are altered in PD, suggesting collateral dysregulation of peripheral dopamine transmission. The dopamine transporter (DAT), the main regulator of dopaminergic tone in the CNS, is known to exist in lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages, but little is known about peripheral DAT biology or how DAT regulates the dopaminergic tone, much less how peripheral DAT alters immune function. Our review is guided by the hypothesis that dysfunctional peripheral dopamine signaling might be linked to the dysfunctional immune responses in PD and thereby suggests a potential bidirectional communication between central and peripheral dopamine systems. This review seeks to foster new perspectives concerning PD pathogenesis and progression.
Topics: Dopamine; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Dopaminergic Neurons; Humans; Lymphocytes; Macrophages; Monocytes; Nerve Degeneration; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Parkinson Disease; Signal Transduction; alpha-Synuclein
PubMed: 29551693
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.03.020 -
Journal of the Neurological Sciences Aug 2023I-ioflupane single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a highly sensitive and established neuroimaging technique for parkinsonian syndromes (PS). However,...
I-ioflupane single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a highly sensitive and established neuroimaging technique for parkinsonian syndromes (PS). However, differentiating PS by visual inspection or analysis of regions of interest is challenging. To date, image analysis has not been able to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD). This study aimed to differentiate PS based on the characteristics of striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) binding using voxel-based analysis. We acquired I-ioflupane SPECT data from patients with DLB (n = 30), Parkinson's disease (PD; n = 122), PDD (n = 19), multiple system atrophy with predominant parkinsonism (MSA-P; n = 18), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP; n = 45). DAT binding was reduced in the posterior striatum of patients with PD and PDD, whereas it was similar in MSA-P, PSP, and DLB. Hippocampal atrophy, visually evaluated by cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, did not affect striatal DAT binding in DLB. DAT binding in the anterior striatum was inversely correlated with the severity of parkinsonism in PD and PDD but not in DLB. Thus, the appearance of striatal DAT binding might indicate different pathological processes in DLB and PDD.
Topics: Humans; Parkinson Disease; Lewy Body Disease; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Parkinsonian Disorders; Multiple System Atrophy; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
PubMed: 37441875
DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.120713 -
Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan) Jun 2019Parkinson disease (PD) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and terminals in the nigrostriatal system.... (Review)
Review
Parkinson disease (PD) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and terminals in the nigrostriatal system. Dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging is widely performed for the differential diagnosis of PD and other degenerative parkinsonism from essential tremor, vascular parkinsonism, and drug-induced parkinsonism. DAT is the plasma membrane carrier specific to dopamine neurons that are responsible for re-uptaking dopamine from the synaptic cleft back into the nerve ending. DAT binding might reflect striatal presynaptic dysfunction or DAT expression in PD patients. Longitudinal studies of DAT imaging have reported progressive changes from early PD patients. This imaging may be used as a progressive biomarker. Follow-up DAT imaging for therapeutic interventions has been applied for several anti-parkinsonian drugs. We herein review the progressive changes and therapeutic modification of DAT binding by anti-PD medications in early PD patients.
Topics: Aged; Brain; Corpus Striatum; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Humans; Parkinson Disease; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
PubMed: 30799370
DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.2489-18 -
Central Nervous System Agents in... 2016Smoking is the world's leading cause of preventable death among populations. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of numerous health problems, including heart diseases,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Smoking is the world's leading cause of preventable death among populations. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of numerous health problems, including heart diseases, stroke, atherosclerosis and many types of cancer, including lung, stomach and bladder cancers.
OUTCOMES
Many individuals find it difficult to stop smoking because of the addictive effects of nicotine and the presence of several monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors in the tobacco smoke extract.
OBJECTIVE
The development of novel, safe and effective medications for smoking cessation is a high public health priority.
RESULTS
The role of mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic pathways in withdrawal symptoms and general reinforcement processes clearly recommends dopaminergic system as a potential target for the treatment of nicotine addiction.
CONCLUSION
This review article discusses the new pharmacological treatments of nicotine dependence, which are targeting dopaminergic neurotransmission. This includes blockade of dopamine transporter and inhibition of MAO as pharmacotherapy for the treatment of nicotine dependence.
Topics: Animals; Dopamine; Dopamine Antagonists; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; Smoking Cessation; Tobacco Use Disorder; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 26530056
DOI: 10.2174/1871524916666151104115421 -
ACS Chemical Neuroscience May 2022Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) is an effective tool for measuring dopamine release and clearance throughout the brain, especially the striatum where dopamine...
Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) is an effective tool for measuring dopamine release and clearance throughout the brain, especially the striatum where dopamine terminals are abundant and signals are heavily regulated by release machinery and the dopamine transporter (DAT). Peak height measurement is perhaps the most common method for measuring dopamine release, but it is influenced by changes in clearance. Michaelis-Menten-based modeling has been a standard in measuring dopamine clearance, but it is problematic in that it requires experimenter fitted modeling subject to experimenter bias. This study presents the use of the first derivative (velocity) of evoked dopamine signals as an alternative approach for measuring and distinguishing dopamine release from clearance. Maximal upward velocity predicts reductions in dopamine peak height due to D and GABA receptor stimulation and by alterations in calcium concentrations. The Michaelis-Menten maximal velocity () measure, an approximation for DAT levels, predicts maximal downward velocity in slices and in vivo. Dopamine peak height and upward velocity were similar between wild-type and DAT knock-out (DATKO) mice. In contrast, downward velocity was lower and exponential decay (tau) was higher in DATKO mice, supporting the use of both measures for extreme changes in DAT activity. In slices, the competitive DAT inhibitors cocaine, PTT, and WF23 increased peak height and upward velocity differentially across increasing concentrations, with PTT and cocaine reducing these measures at high concentrations. Downward velocity and tau values decreased and increased respectively across concentrations, with greater potency and efficacy observed with WF23 and PTT. In vivo recordings demonstrated similar effects of WF23, PTT, and cocaine on measures of release and clearance. Tau was a more sensitive measure at low concentrations, supporting its use as a surrogate for the Michaelis-Menten measure of apparent affinity (). Together, these results inform on the use of these various measures for dopamine release and clearance.
Topics: Animals; Cocaine; Corpus Striatum; Dopamine; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; Mice; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
PubMed: 35482592
DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00033 -
The Journal of Biological Chemistry Aug 2023Amphetamines (AMPHs) are substrates of the dopamine transporter (DAT) and reverse the direction of dopamine (DA) transport. This has been suggested to depend on...
Amphetamines (AMPHs) are substrates of the dopamine transporter (DAT) and reverse the direction of dopamine (DA) transport. This has been suggested to depend on activation of Ca-dependent pathways, but the mechanism underlying reverse transport via endogenously expressed DAT is still unclear. Here, to enable concurrent visualization by live imaging of extracellular DA dynamics and cytosolic Ca levels, we employ the fluorescent Ca sensor jRGECO1a expressed in cultured dopaminergic neurons together with the fluorescent DA sensor GRAB expressed in cocultured "sniffer" cells. In the presence of the Na-channel blocker tetrodotoxin to prevent exocytotic DA release, AMPH induced in the cultured neurons a profound dose-dependent efflux of DA that was blocked both by inhibition of DAT with cocaine and by inhibition of the vesicular monoamine transporter-2 with Ro-4-1284 or reserpine. However, the AMPH-induced DA efflux was not accompanied by an increase in cytosolic Ca and was unaffected by blockade of voltage-gated calcium channels or chelation of cytosolic Ca. The independence of cytosolic Ca was further supported by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate-type ionotropic glutamate receptors leading to a marked increase in cytosolic Ca without affecting AMPH-induced DA efflux. Curiously, AMPH elicited spontaneous Ca spikes upon blockade of the D2 receptor, suggesting that AMPH can regulate intracellular Ca in an autoreceptor-dependent manner regardless of the apparent independence of Ca for AMPH-induced efflux. We conclude that AMPH-induced DA efflux in dopaminergic neurons does not require cytosolic Ca but is strictly dependent on the concerted action of AMPH on both vesicular monoamine transporter-2 and DAT.
Topics: Amphetamine; Cocaine; Dopamine; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Dopaminergic Neurons; Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins; Humans; Cell Line, Tumor
PubMed: 37468107
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105063 -
Nature Cancer Mar 2024Cancer stem cells (CSCs), functionally characterized by self-renewal and tumor-initiating activity, contribute to decreased tumor immunogenicity, while fostering tumor...
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), functionally characterized by self-renewal and tumor-initiating activity, contribute to decreased tumor immunogenicity, while fostering tumor growth and metastasis. Targeting G9a histone methyltransferase (HMTase) effectively blocks CSC functions in colorectal tumors by altering pluripotent-like molecular networks; however, existing molecules directly targeting G9a HMTase activity failed to reach clinical stages due to safety concerns. Using a stem cell-based phenotypic drug-screening pipeline, we identified the dopamine transporter (DAT) antagonist vanoxerine, a compound with previously demonstrated clinical safety, as a cancer-specific downregulator of G9a expression. Here we show that gene silencing and chemical antagonism of DAT impede colorectal CSC functions by repressing G9a expression. Antagonizing DAT also enhanced tumor lymphocytic infiltration by activating endogenous transposable elements and type-I interferon response. Our study unveils the direct implication of the DAT-G9a axis in the maintenance of CSC populations and an approach to improve antitumor immune response in colon tumors.
Topics: Humans; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Colonic Neoplasms; Neoplastic Stem Cells; Piperazines
PubMed: 38351181
DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00727-y -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2021Prolyl oligopeptidase (PREP) is a serine protease that binds to alpha-synuclein (aSyn) and induces its aggregation. PREP inhibitors have been shown to have beneficial...
Prolyl oligopeptidase (PREP) is a serine protease that binds to alpha-synuclein (aSyn) and induces its aggregation. PREP inhibitors have been shown to have beneficial effects in Parkinson's disease models by enhancing the clearance of aSyn aggregates and modulating striatal dopamine. Additionally, we have shown that PREP regulates phosphorylation and internalization of dopamine transporter (DAT) in mice. In this study, we clarified the mechanism behind this by using HEK-293 and PREP knock-out HEK-293 cells with DAT transfection. We tested the effects of PREP, PREP inhibition, and alpha-synuclein on PREP-related DAT regulation by using Western blot analysis and a dopamine uptake assay, and characterized the impact of PREP on protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) by using PKC assay and Western blot, respectively, as these kinases regulate DAT phosphorylation. Our results confirmed our previous findings that a lack of PREP can increase phosphorylation and internalization of DAT and decrease uptake of dopamine. PREP inhibition had a variable impact on phosphorylation of ERK dependent on the metabolic state of cells, but did not have an effect on phosphorylation or function of DAT. PREP modifications did not affect PKC activity either. Additionally, a lack of PREP elevated a DAT oligomerization that is associated with intracellular trafficking of DAT. Our results suggest that PREP-mediated phosphorylation, oligomerization, and internalization of DAT is not dependent on PKC or ERK.
Topics: Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Phosphorylation; Prolyl Oligopeptidases; Protein Kinase C; Protein Multimerization
PubMed: 33579026
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041777