title: Substrate-mediated enhancement of phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase in nigrostriatal dopamine neurons: evidence for a role of alpha-synuclein.
abstract: Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein, phosphorylated at serine-40, serine-31 and serine-19, and enzyme catalytic activity were compared under basal conditions and in activated nigrostriatal dopamine (NSDA) neurons of wild-type and homozygous alpha-synuclein knockout mice. Mice were injected with the D2 antagonist raclopride to stimulate NSDA neuronal activity in the presence or absence of supplemental l-tyrosine. There was no difference in phosphorylated TH levels or TH catalytic activity between wild-type and alpha-synuclein knockout mice under basal conditions or following raclopride-induced acceleration of NSDA activity. In wild-type animals, tyrosine administration potentiated the raclopride-induced increase in phosphorylated TH and enzyme activity. However, tyrosine administration did not enhance phosphorylated TH levels or enzyme catalytic activity in raclopride-stimulated NSDA neurons in alpha-synuclein knockout mice. These findings suggest that alpha-synuclein plays a role in the ability of tyrosine to either enhance TH phosphorylation or hinder TH inactivation during accelerated neuronal activity. The present study supports the hypothesis that alpha-synuclein functions as a molecular chaperone protein that regulates the phosphorylation state of TH in a substrate and activity-dependent manner.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Drolet
authors.forename: Bahareh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Behrouz
authors.forename: Keith J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lookingland
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Goudreau
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020891:Raclopride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D020891:Raclopride; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid