Functions as a polyspecific organic cation transporter, efficiently transporting many organic cations such as monoamine neurotransmitters 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium and biogenic amines including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. May play a role in regulating central nervous system homeostasis of monoamine neurotransmitters. May be involved in luminal transport of organic cations in the kidney and seems to use luminal proton gradient to drive organic cation reabsorption. Does not seem to transport nucleoside and nucleoside analogs such as uridine, cytidine, thymidine, adenosine, inosine, guanosine, and azidothymidine. In adenosine is efficiently transported but in a fashion highly sensitive to extracellular pH, with maximal activity in the pH range 5.5 to 6.5. Glu-206 is essential for the cation selectivity and may function as the charge sensor for cationic substrates. Transport is chloride and sodium-independent but appears to be sensitive to changes in membrane potential. Weakly inhibited by the classical inhibitors of equilibrative nucleoside transport, dipyridamole, dilazep, and nitrobenzylthioinosine. May play a role in the regulation of extracellular adenosine concentrations in cardiac tissues, in particular during ischemia.
