Dopamine Transporter and Catechol-<i>O</i>-methyltransferase Activities Are Required for the Toxicity of 1-(3‘,4‘-Dihydroxybenzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline
作者:Hiroshi Kawai、Yaichiro Kotake、Shigeru Ohta
DOI:10.1021/tx000047y
日期:2000.12.1
1-(3',4'-Dihydroxybenzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline [3',4'DHBnTIQ (1)] is an endogenous parkinsonism-inducing substance. It is taken up into dopaminergic neurons via the dopamine transporter, inhibits mitochondrial respiration, and induces parkinsonism in mice. We synthesized four derivatives [aromatized, N-methylated, N-methyl-aromatized, and O-methylated (2-5, respectively)] and studied the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of 1-5, as well as the metabolism of 1. All except the O-methyl derivative (5) were specifically taken up by the dopamine transporter, but 1 was taken up most efficiently. Relative to 1, oxidation reduced upsilon (max), N-methylation markedly increased K-m, and O-methylation eliminated the uptake activity. The cytotoxicity of 1-5 was examined in a mesencephalic cell. primary culture. Compound I reduced cell viability by nearly 80% at 100 muM, but the other compounds had little or no effect on cell viability. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that I was O-methylated by soluble catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). Aromatization and N-methylation of 1 were not observed. We found that dopamine transporter inhibitors and a COMT inhibitor each blocked the cytotoxicity of I, indicating that uptake and O-methylation are both necessary for neurotoxicity. Thus, we consider that 1 is taken up into dopaminergic neurons via the dopamine transporter and then converted by COMT to 5, which has cytotoxic and parkinsonism-inducing activities.