Dopamine transporters (DATs) are members of a family of Na ؉ -and Cl؊ -dependent neurotransmitter transporters responsible for the rapid clearance of dopamine from synaptic clefts. The predicted primary sequence of DAT contains numerous consensus phosphorylation sites. In this report we demonstrate that DATs undergo endogenous phosphorylation in striatal synaptosomes that is regulated by activators of protein kinase C. Rat striatal synaptosomes were metabolically labeled with [ 32 P]orthophosphate, and solubilized homogenates were subjected to immunoprecipitation with an antiserum specific for DAT. Basal phosphorylation occurred in the absence of exogenous treatments, and the phosphorylation level was rapidly increased when synaptosomes were treated with the phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid or calyculin. Treatment of synaptosomes with the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) also increased the level of phosphate incorporation. This occurred within 10 min and was dosedependent between 0.1 and 1 M PMA. DAT phosphorylation was also significantly increased by two other protein kinase C activators, (؊)-indolactam V and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol. The inactive phorbol ester 4␣-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate at 10 M was without effect, and PMA-induced phosphorylation was blocked by treatment of synaptosomes with the protein kinase C inhibitors staurosporine and bisindoylmaleimide. These results indicate that DATs undergo rapid in vivo phosphorylation in response to protein kinase C activation and that a robust mechanism exists in synaptosomes for DAT dephosphorylation. Dopamine transport activity in synaptosomes was reduced by all treatments that promoted DAT phosphorylation, with comparable dose, time, and inhibitor characteristics. The change in transport activity was produced by a reduction in V max with no significant effect on the K m for dopamine. These results suggest that synaptosomal dopamine transport activity is regulated by phosphorylation of DAT and present a potential mechanism for local neuronal control of synaptic neurotransmitter levels and consequent downstream neural activity. Dopamine transporters (DATs)1 are integral membrane neuronal proteins that function to terminate dopaminergic neurotransmission by the rapid reuptake of synaptic dopamine into presynaptic neurons. As the primary mechanism for the clearance of synaptic dopamine, DAT is the main determinant that regulates the intensity and duration of dopaminergic neurotransmission (1). DAT is implicated in the etiology of psychostimulant drug abuse, as binding of cocaine and amphetamine to the protein inhibit dopamine transport (2), and the resulting elevation of synaptic dopamine levels is believed to underlie the reinforcing properties of these drugs (3, 4). DAT is also a dopaminergic-specific mode of entry for the neurotoxins 6-hydroxydopamine and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (5, 6), implicating it in mechanisms of neurotoxicity that serve as the best current models for Parkinsonian neurodegeneration.DAT is a membe...

The dopamine transporter (DAT) modulates dopamine neurotransmission and is a primary target for psychostimulant influences on locomotion and reward. Selective DAT expression by dopaminergic neurons has led to use of cocaine analog DAT radioligands to assess rates of progression of dopamine neuronal degeneration in Parkinson's disease. We have documented that DAT is a phosphoprotein that is regulated by phosphorylation through pathways that include protein kinase C cascades. We now extend this work using drugs selective for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase C, MEK1/2, p38 kinase, and Ca 2؉ /calmodulin kinase II. We compare the drug effects on wild type DAT to the effects on 20 DAT mutants and a DAT deletion. PI3K and MEK1/2 modulators exert strong effects on DAT expression patterns and dopamine uptake V max . PKC principally modulates V max . Neither p38 nor Ca 2؉ /calmodulin kinase II agents exert significant influences on wild type DAT. Several mutants and a DAT with an N-terminal deletion display alterations that interact with the effects of kinase modulators, especially S7A for PKC effects; T62A, S581A, and T612A for PI3K effects; and S12A and T595A mutants for MEK1/2 effects. 32 P-Labeling studies confirm several of these effects of kinase pathway modulators on DAT phosphorylation. DAT expression and activities can be regulated by kinase cascades that require phosphoacceptor sites most concentrated in its N terminus. These results have a number of implications for DAT regulation and mandate caution in using DAT radioligand binding to infer changes in dopaminergic neuronal integrity after treatments that alter activities of these kinase pathways.The plasma membrane dopamine transporter (DAT) 1 functions to terminate dopaminergic neurotransmission by re-uptake of synaptic dopamine molecules into presynaptic neurons. Modulators of DAT function thus regulate the intensity and duration of dopaminergic neurotransmission (1, 2). DAT blockade by psychostimulants plays a key role in their rewarding and locomotor-stimulating properties (1, 3, 4). DAT uptake of dopamine-selective neurotoxins such as 6-hydroxydopamine and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium is central to the cell type specificity of these model toxins for parkinsonian neurodegeneration.DAT is the most selective current marker for selected populations of dopaminergic neurons. It is expressed only in dopaminergic cells, with relatively high levels of expression in substantia nigra pars compacta neurons, intermediate levels in ventral tegmental area dopaminergic neurons, and low levels in arcuate nucleus neurons. These features, and the high affinity with which DAT can recognize cocaine analogs, have led to use of in vitro and in vivo assessments of DAT binding to seek evidence for degeneration of dopaminergic systems (5). DAT functions including its velocity of dopamine transport and its expression on plasma membranes can be regulated by several kinase or phosphatase pathways. DAT activity can be altered by activation of protein kinase C (PKC),...

Sodium‐ and chloride‐coupled transport of dopamine from synapses into presynaptic terminals plays a key role in terminating dopaminergic neurotransmission. Regulation of the function of the dopamine transporter, the molecule responsible for this translocation, is thus of interest. The primary sequence of the dopamine transporter contains multiple potential phosphorylation sites, suggesting that the function of the transporter could be regulated by phosphorylation. Previous work from this laboratory has documented that phorbol ester activation of protein kinase C (PKC) decreases dopamine transport Vmax in transiently expressing COS cells. In the present report, we document in vivo phosphorylation of the rat dopamine transporter stably expressed in LLC‐PK1 cells and show that phosphorylation is increased threefold by phorbol esters. Dopamine uptake is also regulated by phorbol esters in these cells; phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) reduces transport Vmax by 35%. Parallels between the time course, concentration dependency, and staurosporine sensitivity of alterations in transporter phosphorylation and transporter Vmax suggest that dopamine transporter phosphorylation involving PKC could contribute to this decreased transporter function. Phosphorylation of the dopamine transporter by PKC or by a PKC‐activated kinase could be involved in rapid neuroadaptive processes in dopaminergic neurons.

In this study dosing regimens were designed such that cholinesterase inhibition following exposure to chlorpyrifos was produced in one treatment group, but was absent in the other. The higher dosing regimen inhibited plasma and brain cholinesterase activities by 51 and 70%, respectively, and resulted in decreased [3H]cis-methyldioxolane ([3H]CD) binding, which was attributable to a decrease in Bmax. No concomitant loss of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) binding sites was observed, indicating that the M2 muscarinic receptor subtype to which [3H]CD binds is particularly susceptible to alterations induced by chlorpyrifos treatment. As the M2 receptor subtype is surmised to be the muscarinic autoreceptor, decreases in this receptor may exacerbate poisoning by organophosphorus agents as a result of decreased ability to terminate synaptic acetylcholine release. The ability of carbachol to inhibit striatal adenylate cyclase, which is an effector molecule associated with the M2 receptor, was unaltered in chlorpyrifos-treated rats. Decreases in M2 receptors occurred with the higher dosing regimen, in the absence of any clinical manifestations. Thus, in the absence of overt clinical signs, perturbations of the muscarinic receptor system did occur as a result of sub-chronic chlorpyrifos exposure. Such alterations may contribute to neurological impairments that develop following chronic organophosphorus exposure.