[Monoamine synthesis by non-monoaminergic neurons: illusion of reality]

Ross Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova. 2009 Mar;95(3):273-82.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

Apart from monoaminergic neurons possessing the whole set of enzymes of monoamine synthesis from the precursor amino acid, the neurons expressing individual enzymes of monoamine synthesis have been discovered in the mid-eighties. Most numerous monoenzymatic neurons express individual enzymes of dopamine (DA), thyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). Functional characteristics and the functional significance of the monoenzymatic neurons have been evaluated in a series of our studies, mainly of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (AN), one of the most important DA-ergic centers of the brain. It has been demonstrated that the AN of rats contains numerous monoenzymatic neurons. Their portion among the neurons expressing enzymes of DA synthesis exceeded 99 % whereas it decreased continuously in postnatal period still reaching 50 % in adulthood. It was shown that the monoenzymatic neurons expressing complementary enzymes of DNA synthesis produce this neurotransmitter in cooperation. In this case, L-tyrosine is transformed to L-DOPA in TH containing neurons that is followed by L-DOPA release and uptake to AADC containing neurons with a semi-specific membrane transporter of large neutral amino acids for DA synthesis. Turning on the expression of enzymes of DA synthesis in non-dopaminergic neurons is an adaptive reaction under the functional insufficiency of DA-ergic neurons. So, hyperprolactinemia that is developed under the degeneration of DA-ergic neurons of the AN and the deficiency of DA, the prolactin-inhibiting neurohormone, was compensated in due time to increase in number of monoenzymatic neurons and the strengthening of cooperative synthesis of DA in the nucleus. The same compensatory cooperative synthesis if DA is supposed to be turned on under the degeneration of DA-ergic neurons of the nigrostriatal system that was manifested by appearance of the neurons expressing enzymes of DA synthesis in the deafferentiated striatum in rats. The expression of enzymes of DA synthesis in non-dopaminergic neurons is under the control by intercellular signals. e.g., catecholamines. Thus, numerous non-monoaminergic neurons in the brain expressing individual complementary enzymes of monoamine synthesis produce monoamines in cooperation that is a compensatory reaction to a functional insufficiency of monoaminergic neurons.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / cytology
  • Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / enzymology
  • Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases / metabolism*
  • Biogenic Monoamines / biosynthesis
  • Brain / cytology
  • Brain / enzymology
  • Dopamine / biosynthesis*
  • Levodopa / biosynthesis*
  • Neurons / enzymology*
  • Rats
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biogenic Monoamines
  • Levodopa
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases
  • Dopamine