Reaction of oxidized dopamine with endogenous cysteine residues in the human dopamine transporter

There is evidence to suggest that dopamine (DA) oxidizes to form dopamine ortho‐quinone (DAQ), which binds covalently to nucleophilic sulfhydryl groups on protein cysteinyl residues. This reaction has been shown to inhibit dopamine uptake, as well as other biological processes. We have identified specific cysteine residues in the human dopamine transporter (hDAT) that are modified by this electron‐deficient substrate analog. DAQ reactivity was inferred from its effects on the binding of [3H]2‐β‐carbomethoxy‐3‐β‐(4‐fluorophenyl)tropane (β‐CFT) to hDAT cysteine mutant constructs. One construct, X5C, had four cysteines mutated to alanine and one to phenylalanine (Cys90A, Cys135A, C306A, C319F and Cys342A). In membrane preparations 1 mm DAQ did not affect [3H]β‐CFT binding to X5C hDAT, in contrast to its effect in wild‐type hDAT in which it reduced the Bmax value by more than half. Wild‐type cysteines were substituted back into X5C, one at a time, and the ability of DAQ to inhibit [3H]β‐CFT binding was assessed. Reactivity of DAQ with Cys90 increased the affinity of [3H]β‐CFT for the transporter, whereas reactivity with Cys135 decreased the affinity of [3H]β‐CFT. DAQ did not change the KD for [3H]β‐CFT binding to wild‐type. The reactivity of DAQ at Cys342 decreased Bmax to the same degree as wild‐type. The latter result suggests that Cys342 is the wild‐type residue most responsible for DAQ‐induced inhibition of [3H]β‐CFT binding.