Investigating the Interaction between the Dopamine Transporter and the Sigma 1 Receptor

Abstract

Addictive psychostimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines bind to the dopamine transporter (DAT) and alter its ability to recycle dopamine (DA), resulting in adverse psychological and physiological effects. Several of these stimulants also bind the sigma 1 receptor (S1R), which modulates signal amplification of neurotransmitters, calcium and potassium through protein‐protein interactions at the plasma membrane. The S1R is expressed in dopaminergic neurons however; a physiological relationship between DAT and S1R has not been identified. Here we investigate physical interaction between DAT and S1R through co‐immunoprecipitation techniques in COS7 cells expressing the two proteins. Our data support that DAT and S1R are at least involved in a single protein complex as antibodies against DAT also purify S1R and vice versa.Grant Support: This work is supported by an NIH Grants DA026947 and NS071122 awarded to HK.