Endosomal recycling and dopamine neurotransmission: Exploring the links between the retromer and Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

The retromer complex is an evolutionarily conserved protein complex involved in the endosomal recycling of various cargo proteins. It is ubiquitously expressed in all tissue and is found in both invertebrate as well as mammalian nervous systems, where it recycles various synaptic membrane proteins including the dopamine transporter and dopamine D1 receptor, two proteins implicated in dopamine homeostasis and neurotransmission. The involvement of the retromer complex in dopamine neurobiology is further underscored by its links to Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder of the dopamine system. In this article, the existing literature linking the retromer complex to synaptic function and dopamine homeostasis is reviewed. Additional possible links are highlighted by exploring the retromer and other Parkinson's disease-associated proteins and possible relationships to synaptic function and dopamine transmission.