Trace amine-associated receptor 1 agonists differentially regulate dopamine transporter function

Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is a G protein-coupled receptor stimulated by trace amines and amphetamine-like psychostimulants. The TAAR1 agonists RO5166017 and RO5256390 have antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in preclinical models, and the TAAR1/partial 5HT_1A agonist ulotaront has been evaluated for its clinical utility as an antipsychotic. Early clinical investigations of ulotaront for treating psychosis in schizophrenia yielded positive endpoints. However, results from phase III clinical trials showed that ulotaront had the same efficacy as placebo. One concern arising from these results is that investigational TAAR1 agonists could be diverse in the mechanisms by which they influence dopamine homeostasis. Thus, we evaluated the pharmacology of TAAR1 agonists RO5166017, RO5256390, and ulotaront at the Dopamine Transporter (DAT) and TAAR1 to test our hypothesis that there would be differences among agonists in their effects on DAT. We found that RO5166017 and RO5256390 directly bind DAT and inhibit dopamine uptake, while ulotaront did not. In cultured cells and rodent synaptosomes, pretreatment with ulotaront and RO5256390 reduced dopamine uptake by approximately half, while RO5166017 pretreatment increased dopamine uptake by a similar magnitude. In cells, the effects of TAAR1 agonist pretreatment on dopamine uptake were TAAR1-dependent. RO5166017, but not RO5256390 or ulotaront, increased amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux in a TAAR1-dependent manner. Surface biotinylation experiments indicated that RO5166017 pretreatment increased cell-surface DAT by approximately 15% via a TAAR1-dependent mechanism. These findings demonstrate clinically relevant differences in the effects of 3 TAAR1 agonists on DAT. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study evaluated the direct and heterologous TAAR1-dependent effects of the TAAR1 agonists RO5166017, RO5256390, and ulotaront at DAT. All 3 affected DAT transport and/or trafficking, with each exhibiting a unique profile of direct and heterologous effects, some of which were TAAR1-dependent. These issues should be considered with therapeutic design and clinical use of TAAR1 agonists.

Amphetamine; Dopamine transporter; Trace amine–associated receptor 1.