Plasma membrane transporters control the active reuptake of neurotransmitters that mediate chemical signaling in the nervous system. Biogenic amine neurotransmitters (i.e. norepinephrine, NE) play a role in a number of physiological functions including autonomic regulation, locomotion, and complex behaviors such as attention and reward. By terminating these chemical signals, monoamine transporters are critical to the efficient function of the nervous system. The NE system has been implicated in a range of mood and anxiety disorders and the development of drugs such as reboxetine specifically targeting the norepinephrine transporter (NET) are promising therapeutic agents. NET is also a target for drugs of abuse such as the psychostimulants cocaine and amphetamine (AMPH). At present there are few reports of high-resolution measures of intrinsic transporter function. We propose to use NET currents as one measure of transporter activity, including real-time recordings of unitary transporter currents in excised patches. Transporter currents and substrate flux will be used as functional readouts for transporter regulation by AMPH and a range of other modulators. This work will characterize AMPH regulation of monoamine transporter intrinsic function and regulation, and will also be important in building a framework in which to interpret changes caused by physiological modulators, drugs of abuse, and therapeutic agents.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
1F32DA020306-01
Application #
6999134
Study Section
Human Development Research Subcommittee (NIDA)
Program Officer
Babecki, Beth
Project Start
2006-04-01
Project End
2009-03-31
Budget Start
2006-04-01
Budget End
2007-03-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$42,068
Indirect Cost
Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37212
Bowton, Erica; Saunders, Christine; Erreger, Kevin et al. (2010) Dysregulation of dopamine transporters via dopamine D2 autoreceptors triggers anomalous dopamine efflux associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Neurosci 30:6048-57
Erreger, Kevin; Grewer, Christof; Javitch, Jonathan A et al. (2008) Currents in response to rapid concentration jumps of amphetamine uncover novel aspects of human dopamine transporter function. J Neurosci 28:976-89
Binda, Francesca; Dipace, Concetta; Bowton, Erica et al. (2008) Syntaxin 1A interaction with the dopamine transporter promotes amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux. Mol Pharmacol 74:1101-8