title: L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine synthesis by genetically modified Schwann cells.
abstract: We have investigated whether Schwann cells can be modified by gene transfer to synthesize L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), the immediate precursor in the formation of dopamine. By using a retrovirus containing a rat tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) cDNA, we established an immortalized rodent Schwann cell line that stably expressed high levels of TH and secreted L-DOPA in vitro when supplied with tyrosine and the essential cofactor biopterin. We also infected primary Schwann cells and demonstrated that cells expressing TH secreted L-DOPA while maintaining their capacity to myelinate neurons in vitro. This study indicate that it may be feasible to utilize autotransplantation of genetically modified Schwann cells to alleviate the movement disorders in Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Bunge
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: O'Malley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D005796:Genes; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007980:Levodopa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007980:Levodopa; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase