Subthalamic stimulation increases striatal tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation

Neuroreport. 2008 Jan 22;19(2):179-82. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e3282f417b4.

Abstract

Subthalamic stimulation enhances striatal tyrosine hydroxylase activity, which is regulated by phosphorylation at different serine residues. Western blotting was performed to investigate phosphorylation at the serine residues 19, 31 and 40 in striatal tissue of rats that had received subthalamic stimulation or sham stimulation for 2 h. In animals that were killed directly after stimulation, the tyrosine hydroxylase protein content was unchanged, whereas phosphorylation at the serine residue 19 was increased and phosphorylation at the serine residues 31 and 40 tended to be higher compared with controls. By contrast, tyrosine hydroxylase protein content and phosphorylation were similar in rats that were killed 24 h after stimulation. Our results suggest that subthalamic stimulation may increase tyrosine hydroxylase activity via increased phosphorylation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence / physiology
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Corpus Striatum / anatomy & histology
  • Corpus Striatum / enzymology*
  • Dopamine / biosynthesis*
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy
  • Male
  • Neural Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Neural Pathways / enzymology
  • Parkinson Disease / enzymology
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology
  • Parkinson Disease / therapy
  • Phosphorylation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Serine / metabolism
  • Subthalamic Nucleus / anatomy & histology
  • Subthalamic Nucleus / enzymology*
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / chemistry
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism*
  • Up-Regulation / physiology

Substances

  • Serine
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Dopamine