Dopamine and Amphetamine Rapidly Increase Dopamine Transporter Trafficking to the Surface: Live-Cell Imaging Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

Abstract

Rapid treatment (1 min) of rat striatal synaptosomes with low-dose amphetamine increases surface expression of the dopamine transporter (DAT). Using mouse neuroblastoma N2A cells, stably transfected with green fluorescent protein-DAT, we demonstrate the real-time substrate-induced rapid trafficking of DAT to the plasma membrane using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM). Both the physiological substrate, dopamine, and amphetamine began to increase surface DAT within 10 s of drug addition and steadily increased surface DAT until removal 2 min later. The substrate-induced rise in surface DAT was dose-dependent, was blocked by cocaine, and abated after drug removal. Although individual vesicle fusion was not visually detectable, exocytosis of DAT was blocked using both tetanus neurotoxin and botulinum neurotoxin C to cleave solubleN-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins. Notably, the dopamine-induced increase in surface DAT was cocaine-sensitive but D₂-receptor independent. TIRFM data were confirmed in human DAT-N2A cells using biotinylation, and similar effects were detected in rat striatal synaptosomes. A specific inhibitor of protein kinase C-β blocked the substrate-mediated increase in surface DAT in both DAT-N2A cells and rat striatal synaptosomes. These data demonstrate that the physiological substrate, dopamine, and amphetamine rapidly increase the trafficking of DAT to the surface by a mechanism dependent on SNARE proteins and protein kinase C-β but independent of dopamine D₂receptor activation. Importantly, this study suggests that the reuptake system is poised to rapidly increase its function during dopamine secretion to tightly regulate dopaminergic neurotransmission.