title: Effect of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) on catecholamine levels and activity of related enzymes in clonal rat pheochromocytoma PC12h cells.
abstract: 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), a metabolite of a neurotoxin, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, was found to reduce dopamine (DA) level and the activity of enzymes related to its metabolism in clonal rat pheochromocytoma PC12h cells. After 6 days' culture in the presence of 1 mM and 100 microM MPP+, DA content in PC12h cells was reduced markedly, but with MPP+ at concentrations lower than 10 microM, DA levels in the cells did not change. The amounts of 3,4-dihydrophenylacetic acid (DOPAC), a metabolite of DA were reduced markedly in culture medium and in PC12h cells cultured with MPP+ at concentrations higher than 1 microM. MPP+ was found to reduce the enzyme activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), monoamine oxidase (MAO) and aromatic L-aminoacid decarboxylase (AADC). In the presence of MPP+ at concentrations higher than 10 microM, reduction of TH activity in the cells was more pronounced than reduction of cell protein or of the activity of a non-specific enzyme, beta-galactosidase. With 1 mM and 100 microM MPP+, MAO activity was reduced to about 30% of that in control cells. Reduction was observed with MPP+ at concentrations higher than 1 microM. AADC was the most sensitive to MPP+ and its activity was reduced markedly in the cells cultured with 100 nM MPP+. These results indicate that MPP+ inhibits not only the biosynthesis of catecholamines, but also the enzyme participating in their catabolism in cells, and may thus perturb catecholamine levels in the brain.
mesh_terms: D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D000818:Animals; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases / Q000378:metabolism; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D003470:Culture Media; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D004298:Dopamine