Stabilization of clathrin coated vesicles by amantadine, tromantadine and other hydrophobic amines

Amantadine and related compounds stabilized the structure of purified pig brain clathrin coated vesicles (CCV) at biologically relevant concentrations. Incubation of purified CCV for 30 min at 25 degrees C or 37 degrees C caused the release of clathrin, as determined by a centrifugation assay, and a reduction in the number of coated vesicles, by electron microscopy. Amantadine (10 mM), tromantadine (1 mM), amidine D295 (cyclohexylcarboximidamide-(N-benzyl)hydrochloride (10 mM), chloroquine (0.1 mM) and monodansylcadaverine (10 mM) significantly reduced the extent of dissociation.