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Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 (VMAT2)

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Pathology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Pathology ((EP))

Synonyms

Solute carrier family 18 member 2 (SLC18A2)

Definition

VMAT2 is a monoamine transporter responsible for the storage of cytosolic monoamines into vesicles using an ATPase-dependent H+ gradient.

Features

Discovered in 1992 from rat brain and encoded on chromosome 10q25.3, VMAT2 is a monoamine transporter located on the membrane of both dense core large vesicles and small synaptic-like microvesicles. As part of the VMAT family, it is a 12-transmembrane-segment transporter, with both extremities in the cytoplasmatic side that acts as an electrogenic antiporter of protons and monoamines, extruding two protons in order to internalize a single monoamine (serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and histamine), using an ATPase-dependent H+ gradient previously generated.

VMAT2 is able to bind all the monoamines but is more sensitive for serotonin and less effective for histamine; it is, however, more efficient than VMAT1, especially in storing histamine.

It can be inhibited by...

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References and Further Reading

  • Anlauf, M., Eissele, R., Schäfer, M. K., Eiden, L. E., Arnold, R., Pauser, U., Klöppel, G., & Weihe, E. (2003). Expression of the two isoforms of the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT1 and VMAT2) in the endocrine pancreas and pancreatic endocrine tumors. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, 51(8), 1027–1040.

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  • Eissele, R., Anlauf, M., Schäfer, M. K., Eiden, L. E., Arnold, R., & Weihe, E. (1999). Expression of vesicular monoamine transporters in endocrine hyperplasia and endocrine tumors of the oxyntic stomach. Digestion, 60(5), 428–439.

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  • Erickson, J. D., Eiden, L. E., & Hoffman, B. J. (1992). Expression cloning of a reserpine-sensitive vesicular monoamine transporter. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 89(22), 10993–10997.

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  • Erickson, J. D., Schafer, M. K., Bonner, T. I., Eiden, L. E., & Weihe, E. (1996). Distinct pharmacological properties and distribution in neurons and endocrine cells of two isoforms of the human vesicular monoamine transporter. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 93(10), 5166–5171.

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  • Henry, J. P., Botton, D., Sagne, C., Isambert, M. F., Desnos, C., Blanchard, V., Raisman-Vozari, R., Krejci, E., Massoulie, J., & Gasnier, B. (1994). Biochemistry and molecular biology of the vesicular monoamine transporter from chromaffin granules. Journal of Experimental Biology, 196, 251–262.

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  • Jakobsen, A. M., Andersson, P., Saglik, G., Andersson, E., Kölby, L., Erickson, J. D., Forssell-Aronsson, E., Wängberg, B., Ahlman, H., & Nilsson, O. (2001). Differential expression of vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) 1 and 2 in gastrointestinal endocrine tumours. Journal of Pathology, 195(4), 463–472.

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  • Temple, W., Mendelsohn, L., Kim, G. E., Nekritz, E., Gustafson, W. C., Lin, L., Giacomini, K., Naranjo, A., Van Ryn, C., Yanik, G. A., Kreissman, S. G., Hogarty, M., Matthay, K. K., & DuBois, S. G. (2016). Vesicular monoamine transporter protein expression correlates with clinical features, tumor biology, and MIBG avidity in neuroblastoma: A report from the Children’s Oncology Group. European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 43(3), 474–481.

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  • Uccella, S., Cerutti, R., Vigetti, D., Furlan, D., Oldrini, R., Carnevali, I., Pelosi, G., La Rosa, S., Passi, A., & Capella, C. (2006). Histidine decarboxylase, DOPA decarboxylase, and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 expression in neuroendocrine tumors: Immunohistochemical study and gene expression analysis. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, 54(8), 863–875.

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  • Uccella, S., La Rosa, S., Volante, M., & Papotti, M. (2018). Immunohistochemical biomarkers of gastrointestinal, pancreatic, pulmonary, and thymic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Endocrine Pathology, 29(2), 150–168.

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  • Wimalasena, K. (2011). Vesicular monoamine transporters: structure-function, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry. Medicinal Research Reviews, 31(4), 483–519.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Pathology, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy

    Deborah Marchiori & Silvia Uccella

Authors
  1. Deborah Marchiori
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  2. Silvia Uccella
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands

    J.H.J.M. van Krieken

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Marchiori, D., Uccella, S. (2021). Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 (VMAT2). In: van Krieken, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pathology. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5320-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5320-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

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