Regional mRNA expression of a second tryptophan hydroxylase isoform in postmortem tissue samples of two human brains.
Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) as rate limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of serotonin plays a major role as candidate gene in several psychiatric disorders. Recently a second TPH isoform (TPH2) was identified in mice, which was exclusively expressed in the brain. We investigated whether the mRNA of the human homologue of this new TPH2 isoform is expressed in the human brain but not in peripheral tissues. The study was performed with postmortem specimen obtained from two subjects who died on cardiovascular failure. TPH2 mRNA levels were determined by quantitative real time RT-PCR. TPH2 mRNA was exclusively present in the human brains but not in the investigated peripheral tissues. Our finding may open up new research strategies for the analysis of the repeatedly observed disturbances in the serotonergic system in patients suffering from several psychiatric disorders.
Zill
Peter
P
Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, D-80336 Munich, Germany. Peter.Zill@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
Büttner
Andreas
A
Eisenmenger
Wolfgang
W
Bondy
Brigitta
B
Ackenheil
Manfred
M
D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase