Measurement of Exocytosis in Living PC12 Cells Using Electrochemical Sensor Chips Reveals the Biological Mechanisms for Antipsychotics

For the first time, we utilized the MNG-1 electrochemical microsensor, renowned for its ultrasensitive detection of dopamine (DA) neurotransmitter exocytosis in living cells, to make a significant discovery: the well-known antipsychotic drug haloperidol not only acts as a DA receptor antagonist but also inhibits DA secretion. Herein, we developed a multidimensional nanostructure named MOF-on-Nanowires-on-Graphene oxide (MNG-1), which can accurately measure DA molecules released during the exocytosis of nerve cells, capturing single exocytotic events as amperometric spikes. Its ability to monitor exocytosis in single or multiple cells makes it a crucial tool for studying nerve cell behavior. Using our sensor, we revealed the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs, highlighting their effects on DA release from presynaptic nerve cells.