2.A.1.2.29
The vesicular monoamine transporter, VMAT2 (pumps dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and histamine into synaptic vesicles) (Cliburn et al. 2016). VMAT2 physically and functionally interacts with the enzymes responsible for dopamine synthesis (Cartier et al., 2010).  Molecular hinge points mediating alternating access have been identified (Yaffe et al. 2013). The substituted amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), is a widely used drug of abuse that induces non-exocytotic release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine through their cognate transporters as well as blocking the reuptake of neurotransmitter by the same transporters (Sealover et al. 2016). The slc18a2 gene is expressed at high levels in neuroepithelial cells (Pan et al. 2022). Synaptic vesicle proteins are selectively delivered to axons in mammalian neurons (Watson et al. 2023). VMAT2 may play a role in Parkinson's disease (Zhou et al. 2023). Dopaminergic cell protection and alleviation of neuropsychiatric disease symptoms are aleviated by VMAT2 expression (Lee et al. 2023). Deutetrabenazine and valbenazine are VMAT2 inhibitors for tardive dyskinesia (Golsorkhi et al. 2024). Drug inhibition and substrate transport mechanisms of human VMAT2 have been characterized (Wei et al. 2025).