Apomorphine is a nonselective dopamine D1/D2 receptor agonist used in Europe to treat symptoms resulting from the dopaminergic degeneration associated with Parkinson's disease. In addition, neuroprotective effects of this agent in rodent models have been reported. Recent studies indicate that treatments that alter vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT-2) function may be protective in models of dopaminergic degeneration. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of apomorphine on VMAT-2 function. Results revealed that apomorphine rapidly and reversibly increased vesicular dopamine uptake, as determined in purified striatal vesicles obtained from treated rats. This increase occurred in both postnatal day 40 and postnatal day 90 rats, and was associated with a redistribution of VMAT-2 protein within nerve terminals. This effect of apomorphine on vesicular dopamine uptake was blocked by pretreating with eticlopride, a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist. The implications of these findings relevant to the treatment of neurodegeneration are discussed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2004.03.060 | DOI Listing |
Expert Opin Pharmacother
December 2024
Department of Neurology, UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA.
Introduction: Chorea is a motor manifestation of Huntington's disease (HD), which can lead to decreased functional independence and falls. Even though multiple classes of medications have been used to treat this symptom, only the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors tetrabenazine, deutetrabenazine, and valbenazine have been approved by the FDA for this indication.
Areas Covered: This article reviews the pharmacological properties, clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerability of valbenazine in the treatment of chorea in HD.
Neuropharmacology
December 2024
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Electronic address:
Background: Apathy is a syndrome of decreased goal-directed activity, one of the main features of different brain disorders. Despite its high prevalence and life-threatening potential, there are currently very few options for its pharmacological treatment, which may be related to the lack of valid animal models.
Aims: The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor tetrabenazine (TBZ) was used in this study to model apathy-related behavior in pathologies linked to a depletion of dopamine.
J Am Chem Soc
December 2024
College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
The quantitative analysis of vesicular neurotransmitters in neurons in situ is paramount for investigating neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease (PD). Unfortunately, a direct approach for monitoring neurotransmitter chemistry in single vesicles in fresh brain tissue has remained inaccessible so far. Here, we introduce an innovative platform of single-vesicle electrochemistry (SVE) in fresh brain tissue, enabling the quantification of neurotransmitters at the single-vesicle level for both soma and varicosity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMent Health Clin
December 2024
(Corresponding author) Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy Services, Nashville, Tennessee,
Vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitors (VMAT2i) are currently Food and Drug Administration-approved for the treatment of Huntington disease chorea and tardive dyskinesia. Additionally, they are often used for other hyperkinetic movement disorders in clinical practice. Due to a lack of head-to-head clinical trials, management of VMAT2i in the clinical setting may be unclear and rely on the clinical experience of the practitioner.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Med
November 2024
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, 54290 Sakarya, Türkiye.
We aimed to examine the relationship of Dopamine transporter (DAT) and vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT-2) gene and protein levels with psychic experiences and other clinical parameters in individuals with Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD). This study included 50 males diagnosed with MUD and 50 males as a smoking control (SC) and nonsmoking control (NSC). Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) was administered to patients and controls; Addiction Profile Index, Treatment Motivation Questionnaire, and Substance Craving Scale were administered only to the patient group.
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