PET studies of brain monoamine transporters.
Monoamine transporters are proteins mainly located on nerve terminals of dopaminergic, noradrenergic and serotonergic neurons. They are members of a larger sodium dependent transporter family and represent a major mechanism terminating the action of released neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft. In addition to being important target molecules for many antidepressive drugs and substances of abuse, transporter proteins are good markers for the integrity of monoaminergic innervation. Therefore, there is a growing interest for in vivo imaging studies using positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and ligands selective for monoamine transporters. In this review, the use of monoamine transporter ligands (or tracers) for imaging studies of cocaine dependence, neurodegenerative diseases and mechanism of antidepressant drug action is discussed, with special focus on the use of PET for evaluating possible new pharmacological innovations.
Laakso
A
A
Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. aki.laakso@orionpharma.com
Hietala
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D027981:Symporters; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C493227:SLC6A2 protein, human; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D027981:Symporters