Publications

• Expression cloning of a cocaine- and antidepressant-sensitive human noradrenaline transporter.

  Pacholczyk T., Blakely R.D., Amara S.G.

  At most synapses, chemical signalling is terminated by a rapid reaccumulation of neurotransmitter into presynaptic terminals. Uptake systems for the biogenic amines are the initial site of action for therapeutic antidepressants and drugs such as cocaine and the amphetamines. We have isolated a com ... >> More

  At most synapses, chemical signalling is terminated by a rapid reaccumulation of neurotransmitter into presynaptic terminals. Uptake systems for the biogenic amines are the initial site of action for therapeutic antidepressants and drugs such as cocaine and the amphetamines. We have isolated a complementary DNA clone encoding a human noradrenaline transporter. The cDNA sequence predicts a protein of 617 amino acids, with 12-13 highly hydrophobic regions compatible with membrane-spanning domains. Expression of the cDNA clone in transfected HeLa cells indicates that noradrenaline transport activity is sodium-dependent and sensitive to selective noradrenaline transport inhibitors. Transporter RNA is localized to the brainstem and the adrenal gland. The predicted protein sequence demonstrates significant amino-acid identity with the Na+/gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter, thus identifying a new gene family for neurotransmitter transporter proteins. Analysis of its structure and function may lead to structure-based drug design for the treatment of human depression and could help determine whether transporter abnormalities underlie affective disorders. << Less

  Nature 350:350-354(1991) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Stable expression of biogenic amine transporters reveals differences in inhibitor sensitivity, kinetics, and ion dependence.

  Gu H., Wall S.C., Rudnick G.

  We have constructed stable cell lines expressing transporters for dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) by transfection with cloned cDNAs. The parental LLC-PK1 cell does not express any of these neurotransmitter transporters. Therefore, monoamine transport activities in each of ... >> More

  We have constructed stable cell lines expressing transporters for dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) by transfection with cloned cDNAs. The parental LLC-PK1 cell does not express any of these neurotransmitter transporters. Therefore, monoamine transport activities in each of these cell lines are due to the transfected DNA only, allowing comparison in the same background. Drug inhibition profiles for each cell line are distinct and as expected for each transporter. LLC-NET and LLC-DAT cells transported both NE and DA and both cell types exhibited a lower KM for DA transport than for NE transport. Analysis of Vmax data for LLC-NET cells suggests that substrate is bound to the NE transporter during the rate-limiting step(s) in transport. The cocaine analog 2-beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-[125I]iodophenyl)tropane binds to each cell type, and is displaced by transport substrate in each case. Binding and transport measurements on parallel cell cultures allowed estimation of turnover numbers for norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin transporters. All three transporters require external Na+ and Cl-. The Na+ concentration dependence suggests that a single Na+ ion is involved in transport catalyzed by norepinephrine and serotonin transporters while more than one Na+ ion participate in transport mediated by the dopamine transporter. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 269:7124-7130(1994) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

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