Michelle A. Sahai

Missense dopamine transporter mutations associate with adult parkinsonism and ADHD

Parkinsonism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are widespread brain disorders that involve disturbances of dopaminergic signaling. The sodium-coupled dopamine transporter (DAT) controls dopamine homeostasis, but its contribution to disease remains poorly understood. Here, we analyzed a cohort of patients with atypical movement disorder and identified 2 DAT coding variants, DAT-Ile312Phe and a presumed de novo mutant DAT-Asp421Asn, in an adult male with early-onset parkinsonism and ADHD. According to DAT single-photon emission computed tomography (DAT-SPECT) scans and a fluoro-deoxy-glucose-PET/MRI (FDG-PET/MRI) scan, the patient suffered from progressive dopaminergic neurodegeneration. In heterologous cells, both DAT variants exhibited markedly reduced dopamine uptake capacity but preserved membrane targeting, consistent with impaired catalytic activity. Computational simulations and uptake experiments suggested that the disrupted function of the DAT-Asp421Asn mutant is the result of compromised sodium binding, in agreement with Asp421 coordinating sodium at the second sodium site. For DAT-Asp421Asn, substrate efflux experiments revealed a constitutive, anomalous efflux of dopamine, and electrophysiological analyses identified a large cation leak that might further perturb dopaminergic neurotransmission. Our results link specific DAT missense mutations to neurodegenerative early-onset parkinsonism. Moreover, the neuropsychiatric comorbidity provides additional support for the idea that DAT missense mutations are an ADHD risk factor and suggests that complex DAT genotype and phenotype correlations contribute to different dopaminergic pathologies.

Spontaneous inward opening of the dopamine transporter is triggered by PIP2-regulated dynamics of the N-terminus.

We present the dynamic mechanism of concerted motions in a full-length molecular model of the human dopamine transporter (hDAT), a member of the neurotransmitter/sodium symporter (NSS) family, involved in state-to-state transitions underlying function. The findings result from an analysis of unbiased atomistic molecular dynamics simulation trajectories (totaling >14 μs) of the hDAT molecule immersed in lipid membrane environments with or without phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) lipids. The N-terminal region of hDAT (N-term) is shown to have an essential mechanistic role in correlated rearrangements of specific structural motifs relevant to state-to-state transitions in the hDAT. The mechanism involves PIP2-mediated electrostatic interactions between the N-term and the intracellular loops of the transporter molecule. Quantitative analyses of collective motions in the trajectories reveal that these interactions correlate with the inward-opening dynamics of hDAT and are allosterically coupled to the known functional sites of the transporter. The observed large-scale motions are enabled by specific reconfiguration of the network of ionic interactions at the intracellular end of the protein. The isomerization to the inward-facing state in hDAT is accompanied by concomitant movements in the extracellular vestibule and results in the release of an Na+ ion from the Na2 site and destabilization of the substrate dopamine in the primary substrate binding S1 site. The dynamic mechanism emerging from the findings highlights the involvement of the PIP2-regulated interactions between the N-term and the intracellular loop 4 in the functionally relevant conformational transitions that are also similar to those found to underlie state-to-state transitions in the leucine transporter (LeuT), a prototypical bacterial homologue of the NSS.

Computational modeling of the N‐terminus of the human dopamine transporter and its interaction with PIP2‐containing membranes

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the family of neurotransmitter:sodium symporters (NSS). Members of the NSS are responsible for the clearance of neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft, and for their translocation back into the presynaptic nerve terminal. The DAT contains long intracellular N‐ and C‐terminal domains that are strongly implicated in the transporter function. The N‐terminus (N‐term), in particular, regulates the reverse transport (efflux) of the substrate through DAT. Currently, the molecular mechanisms of the efflux remain elusive in large part due to lack of structural information on the N‐terminal segment. Here we report a computational model of the N‐term of the human DAT (hDAT), obtained through an ab initio structure prediction, in combination with extensive atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in the context of a lipid membrane. Our analysis reveals that whereas the N‐term is a highly dynamic domain, it contains secondary structure elements that remain stable in the long MD trajectories of interactions with the bilayer (totaling >2.2 μs). Combining MD simulations with continuum mean‐field modeling we found that the N‐term engages with lipid membranes through electrostatic interactions with the charged lipids PIP2 (phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐Biphosphate) or PS (phosphatidylserine) that are present in these bilayers. We identify specific motifs along the N‐term implicated in such interactions and show that differential modes of N‐term/membrane association result in differential positioning of the structured segments on the membrane surface. These results will inform future structure‐based studies that will elucidate the mechanistic role of the N‐term in DAT function. Proteins 2015; 83:952–969.

Combined in vitro and in silico approaches to the assessment of stimulant properties of novel psychoactive substances – The case of the benzofuran 5-MAPB

ABSTRACT Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are increasingly prevalent world‐wide although their pharmacological characteristics are largely unknown; those with stimulant properties, due to interactions with the dopamine transporter (DAT), have addictive potential which their users may not realise. We evaluated the binding of 1‐(1‐benzofuran‐5‐yl)‐N‐methylpropan‐2‐amine (5‐MAPB) to rat striatal DAT by means of quantitative autoradiography with [125I]RTI‐121, and the effects of 5‐MAPB on electrically‐evoked dopamine efflux by fast‐cyclic voltammetry in rat brain slices. 5‐MAPB displaced [125I]RTI‐121 in a concentration‐dependent manner, with significant effects at 10 and 30 &mgr;M. The voltammetry data suggest that 5‐MAPB reduces the rate of dopamine reuptake; while the peak dopamine efflux was not increased, the area under the curve was augmented. 5‐MAPB can also cause reverse dopamine transport consistent with stimulant properties, more similar to amphetamine than cocaine. Molecular modelling and docking studies compared the binding site of DAT in complex with 5‐MAPB to dopamine, amphetamine, 5‐APB, MDMA, cocaine and RTI‐121. This structural comparison reveals a binding mode for 5‐MAPB found in the primary binding (S1) site, central to transmembrane domains 1, 3, 6 and 8, which overlaps with the binding modes of dopamine, cocaine and its analogues. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations further show that, when in complex with 5‐MAPB, DAT can exhibit conformational transitions that spontaneously isomerize the transporter into inward‐facing state, similarly to that observed in dopamine‐bound DAT. These novel insights, offered by the combination of computational methods of biophysics with neurobiological procedures, provide structural context for NPS at DAT and relate them with their functional properties at DAT as the molecular target of stimulants. HIGHLIGHTS5‐MAPB displaces RTI‐121 as dopamine transporter (DAT) ligand in rat brain tissue.5‐MAPB causes reverse transport of dopamine, which is a feature of amphetamine–like substances.Molecular modelling demonstrates that 5‐MAPB occupies a binding pocket in DAT which overlaps with the dopamine binding site.

Drosophila melanogaster : a novel animal model for the behavioral characterization of autism-associated mutations in the dopamine transporter gene

Drosophila melanogaster : a novel animal model for the behavioral characterization of autism-associated mutations in the dopamine transporter gene

Mechanistic Insights into the Stimulant Properties of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and Their Discrimination by the Dopamine Transporter—In Silico and In Vitro Exploration of Dissociative Diarylethylamines

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) may have unsuspected addiction potential through possessing stimulant properties. Stimulants normally act at the dopamine transporter (DAT) and thus increase dopamine (DA) availability in the brain, including nucleus accumbens, within the reward and addiction pathway. This paper aims to assess DAT responses to dissociative diarylethylamine NPS by means of in vitro and in silico approaches. We compared diphenidine (DPH) and 2-methoxydiphenidine (methoxphenidine, 2-MXP/MXP) for their binding to rat DAT, using autoradiography assessment of [125I]RTI-121 displacement in rat striatal sections. The drugs’ effects on electrically-evoked DA efflux were measured by means of fast cyclic voltammetry in rat accumbens slices. Computational modeling, molecular dynamics and alchemical free energy simulations were used to analyse the atomistic changes within DAT in response to each of the five dissociatives: DPH, 2-MXP, 3-MXP, 4-MXP and 2-Cl-DPH, and to calculate their relative binding free energy. DPH increased DA efflux as a result of its binding to DAT, whereas MXP had no significant effect on either DAT binding or evoked DA efflux. Our computational findings corroborate the above and explain the conformational responses and atomistic processes within DAT during its interactions with the dissociative NPS. We suggest DPH can have addictive liability, unlike MXP, despite the chemical similarities of these two NPS.

Identification of a nucleoside analog active against adenosine kinase–expressing plasma cell malignancies

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a largely incurable malignancy of B cell origin with plasmacytic differentiation. Here, we report the identification of a highly effective inhibitor of PEL. This compound, 6-ethylthioinosine (6-ETI), is a nucleoside analog with toxicity to PEL in vitro and in vivo, but not to other lymphoma cell lines tested. We developed and performed resistome analysis, an unbiased approach based on RNA sequencing of resistant subclones, to discover the molecular mechanisms of sensitivity. We found different adenosine kinase–inactivating (ADK-inactivating) alterations in all resistant clones and determined that ADK is required to phosphorylate and activate 6-ETI. Further, we observed that 6-ETI induces ATP depletion and cell death accompanied by S phase arrest and DNA damage only in ADK-expressing cells. Immunohistochemistry for ADK served as a biomarker approach to identify 6-ETI–sensitive tumors, which we documented for other lymphoid malignancies with plasmacytic features. Notably, multiple myeloma (MM) expresses high levels of ADK, and 6-ETI was toxic to MM cell lines and primary specimens and had a robust antitumor effect in a disseminated MM mouse model. Several nucleoside analogs are effective in treating leukemias and T cell lymphomas, and 6-ETI may fill this niche for the treatment of PEL, plasmablastic lymphoma, MM, and other ADK-expressing cancers.