Studies of the biogenic amine transporters. VII. Characterization of a novel cocaine binding site identified with [125I]RTI-55 in membranes prepared from human, monkey and guinea pig caudate.

[125I]RTI-55 is a cocaine analog with high affinity for dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) transporters. Quantitative ligand binding studies revealed a novel high affinity [125I]RTI-55 binding site assayed under 5-HT transporter (SERT) conditions which has low affinity for almost all classic biogenic amine transporter ligands, including high affinity 5-HT transporter inhibitors such as paroxetine, but which retains high affinity for cocaine analogs. This site, termed SERT(site2) for its detection under 5-HT transporter conditions (not for an association with the SERT) occurs in monkey caudate, human caudate, and guinea pig caudate membranes, but not in rat caudate membranes. SERT(site2) is distinguished from the DA transporter (DAT) and SERT by several criteria, including a distinct ligand-selectivity profile, the inability to detect SERT(site2) in cells stably expressing the cloned human DAT, and insensitivity to irreversible ligands which inhibit [125I]RTI-55 binding to the DAT and SERT. Perhaps the most striking finding about SERT(site2) is that a wide range of representative antidepressant agents have very low affinity for SERT(site2). The affinity of cocaine for this site is not very different from the concentration cocaine achieves in the brain at pharmacological doses. Viewed collectively with the observation that ligands with high affinity for SERT(site2) are mostly cocaine analogs, these data lead us to speculate that actions of cocaine which differ from those of classic biogenic amine uptake inhibitors may be mediated in part via SERT(site2).

Studies of the biogenic amine transporters. VI. Characterization of a novel cocaine binding site, identified with [125I]RTI-55, in membranes prepared from whole rat brain minus caudate.

Previous studies showed that the cocaine analog [125I]RTI-55 labels dopamine and serotonergic (5-HT) biogenic amine transporters (BATs) with high affinity. Here we characterized [125I]RTI-55 binding to membranes prepared from whole rat brain minus the caudate nuclei. Paroxetine (50 nM) was used to block [125I]RTI-55 binding to 5-HT transporter sites. Initial experiments identified drugs that displaced [125I]RTI-55 binding with moderately low slope factors. Binding surface analysis of the interaction of 3 beta-(4-chlorophenyl)tropan-2 beta-carboxylic acid phenyl ester hydrochloride (RTI-113) and 3 beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropan-2 beta-carboxylic acid phenyl ester hydrochloride (RTI-122) with [125I]RTI-55 binding sites readily resolved two binding sites for [125I]RTI-55 with Kd values of 0.44 nM and 17 nM and Bmax values of 31 and 245 fmol/mg protein. Potent 5-HT and noradrenergic uptake inhibitors had low affinity for both sites. Whereas cocaine, CFT and WIN35,065-2 were 6.0-, 25- and 14-fold selective for the first site, benztropine, PCP and the novel pyrrole, (+-)-(2RS,3aSR,8bRS)-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydro- 2-benzyl-1-methylindeno-[1,2-b]pyrrole resorcylate [(+-)-HBMP, formerly called (+-)-RTI-4793-14], were moderately selective for the second site. A single binding site with the characteristics of site 1 was resolved using COS cells transiently expressing the cloned rat dopamine transporter. Lesion studies with 6-hydroxydopamine and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine were conducted to test the hypothesis that site 1 and site 2 are physically distinct. The data showed that these neurotoxins differentially decreased [125I]RTI-55 binding to sites 1 and 2. The differential distribution of sites 1 and 2 in rat brain provides further support for this hypothesis. Viewed collectively, these data show that [125I]RTI-55 labels a novel binding site in rat brain membranes, termed DATsite2, which is not associated with the classic dopamine, serotonin or norepinephrine transporters.

Studies of the biogenic amine transporters. V. Demonstration of two binding sites for the cocaine analog [125I]RTI-55 associated with the 5-HT transporter in rat brain membranes.

Earlier work characterized the binding of the high-affinity cocaine analog 3 beta-(4-125iodophenyl)-tropane-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester ([125I]RTI-55) to membranes prepared from rat caudate. That investigation demonstrated that [125I]RTI-55-labeled serotonin (5-HT) transporters in addition to dopamine (DA) transporters and resolved [125I]RTI-55 binding to 5-HT transporters into two distinct components. In the present study, we characterized [125I]RTI-55 binding to membranes prepared from whole rat brain minus caudate. The first series of experiments established that [125I]RTI-55 labels both DA and 5-HT transporters and that 50 nM paroxetine and either 1000 nM 1-[2-(diphenylmethoxy)ethyl]-4-(3-phenylpropyl)homopiperazine (LR1111) or 500 nM (RTI-120) could be used to block [125I]RTI-55 binding to the 5-HT and DA transporters, thereby generating selective assay conditions for the DA and 5-HT transporters, respectively. Selective lesioning of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons with intracerebroventricular 6-hydroxydopamine and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine selectively decreased [125I]RTI-55 binding to DA and 5-HT transporters, respectively, thereby confirming the selectivity of the assay conditions. The ligand-selectivity pattern of the whole brain minus caudate 5-HT transporter correlated significantly with that of the caudate 5-HT transporter, although there were some striking differences for selected test agents. Additional experiments resolved [125I]RTI-55 binding to the 5-HT transporter into two components. A ligand-selectivity analysis of the two components failed to identify a highly selective test agent. In summary, the major findings of the present study are that [125I]RTI-55 labels both DA and 5-HT transporters in membranes prepared from whole brain minus caudate, that 50 nM paroxetine and either 1000 nM LR1111 or 500 nM RTI-120 can be used as a blocking agent to generate selective assay conditions for the DA and 5-HT transporters, respectively, and that [125I]RTI-55 binding to the 5-HT transporter can be resolved into two similar components.

Studies of the biogenic amine transporters. IV. Demonstration of a multiplicity of binding sites in rat caudate membranes for the cocaine analog [125I]RTI-55.

The drug 3 beta-[4'-iodophenyl]tropan-2 beta-carboxylic acid methyl ester (RTI-55) is a cocaine congener with high affinity for the dopamine transporter (Kd < 1 nM). The present study characterized [125I]RTI-55 binding to membranes prepared from rat, monkey and human caudates and COS cells transiently expressing the cloned rat dopamine (DA) transporter. Using the method of binding surface analysis, two binding sites were resolved in rat caudate: a high-capacity binding site (site 1, Bmax = 11,900 fmol/mg of protein) and a low-capacity site (site 2, Bmax = 846 fmol/mg of protein). The Kd (or Ki) values of selected drugs at the two sites were as follows: (Ki for high-capacity site and Ki for low-capacity site, respectively): RTI-55 (0.76 and 0.21 nM), 1-[2-diphenyl-methoxy)ethyl]-4-(3-phenylpropyl)piperazine (0.79 and 358 nM), mazindol (37.6 and 631 nM), 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-fluorophenyl)tropane (45.0 and 540 nM) and cocaine (341 and 129 nM). Nisoxetine, a selective noradrenergic uptake blocker, had low affinity for both sites. Serotonergic uptake blockers had a high degree of selectivity and high affinity for the low-capacity binding site (Ki of citalopram = 0.38 nM; Ki of paroxetine = 0.033 nM). The i.c.v. administration of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine to rats pretreated with nomifensine (to protect dopaminergic and noradrenergic nerve terminals) selectively decreased the Bmax of site 2, strongly supporting the idea that site 2 is a binding site on the serotonin (5-HT) transporter. This serotonergic lesion also increased the affinity of [125I]RTI-55 for the DA transporter by 10-fold. The ligand selectivity of the caudate 5-HT transporter was different from the [I125]RTI-55 binding site on the 5-HT transporter present in membranes prepared from whole rat brain minus caudate. The [125I]RTI-55 binding to the DA transporter was further resolved into two components, termed sites 1a and 1b, by using human and monkey (Macaca mulatta) caudate membranes but not the membranes prepared from rat caudate or COS cells that transiently expressed the cloned cocaine-sensitive DA transporter complementary DNA. Similar experiments also resolved two components of the caudate 5-HT transporter. Viewed collectively, these data provide evidence that [125I]RTI-55 labels multiple binding sites associated with the DA and 5-HT transporters.