MOLECULAR STRUCTURE-FUNCTION RELATIONSHIPS OF THE NORADRENALINE TRANSPORTER & DRUG ACTION

神经传递冲动依赖于神经释放的化学物质，称为神经递质。神经递质引起它的影响，然后它的作用通常被膜蛋白终止，膜蛋白将化学物质输送回神经。这些蛋白质被称为“转运蛋白”。在大脑中，可卡因等精神刺激剂，以及用于治疗抑郁症等疾病的药物，都会阻止神经递质、去甲肾上腺素、5-羟色胺和多巴胺的转运体的活动。最近，利用分子生物学技术已经确定了转运蛋白的结构。这个项目的重点是利用我们现在掌握的关于其分子结构的知识，确定去甲肾上腺素转运蛋白结构中对确定其功能至关重要的部分。这将导致在了解去甲肾上腺素转运体的功能方面取得令人兴奋的进展，这些进展最终将导致开发更有效的抗抑郁药物和防止可卡因等精神刺激剂影响的药物。

The transmission of impulses by nerves is dependent on the release of chemicals, termed neurotransmitters, from the nerve. The neurotransmitter causes its effects and then its action is usually terminated by membrane proteins that transport the chemical back into the nerve. These proteins are termed 'transporters'. In the brain, psychostimulants such as cocaine and also drugs that are used in the therapy of conditions such as depression block the activity of the transporters for the neurotransmitters, noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine. Recently, the structures of the transporter proteins have been determined using molecular biology techniques. The focus of this project is to determine the parts of the noradrenaline transporter protein structure that are important in determining its functions, utilising the knowledge that we now have about its molecular structure. This will lead to exciting advances in understanding the function of the noradrenaline transporter and these advances should ultimately lead to the development of more effective antidepressant drugs and of drugs to prevent the effects of psychostimulants such as cocaine.