Monoamine Transporters: Vulnerable and Vital Doorkeepers

• Published in: Progress in molecular biology and translational science Vol. 98; pp. 1 - 46
• Main Authors: Lin, Zhicheng, Canales, Juan J, Björgvinsson, Thröstur, Thomsen, Morgane, Qu, Hong, Liu, Qing-Rong, Torres, Gonzalo E, Caine, S Barak
• Format: Book Chapter Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Science & Technology 2011
• Subjects: Animals; Behavior; DNA, Complementary - genetics; Humans; Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics; Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Neurology & clinical neurophysiology; Neurosciences; Pharmacology; Risk Factors; Structure-Activity Relationship
• ISBN: 0123855063; 9780123855060
• ISSN: 1877-1173; 1878-0814
• DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-385506-0.00001-6

Transporters of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine have been empirically used as medication targets for several mental illnesses in the last decades. These protein-targeted medications are effective only for subpopulations of patients with transporter-related brain disorders. Since the cDNA clonings in early 1990s, molecular studies of these transporters have revealed a wealth of information about the transporters' structure-activity relationship (SAR), neuropharmacology, cell biology, biochemistry, pharmacogenetics, and the diseases related to the human genes encoding these transporters among related regulators. Such new information creates a unique opportunity to develop transporter-specific medications based on SAR, mRNA, DNA, and perhaps transporter trafficking regulation for a number of highly relevant diseases including substance abuse, depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease.