Kang U J, Park D H, Wessel T, Baker H, Joh T H
Burke Medical Research Institute, Cornell University Medical College, White Plains, NY 10605.
Neurosci Lett. 1992 Nov 23;147(1):53-7. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(92)90773-z.
The source and site of the DOPA decarboxylation to dopamine in Parkinson's disease (PD) and animal models of PD are controversial. Since most of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) are lost along with the degenerating dopaminergic neurons, we addressed the possibility that other decarboxylases or a novel protein that is structurally different from AADC decarboxylate L-DOPA in the denervated striatum. Immunotitration of the extracts from the denervated striatum with AADC antibody showed that all activity can be attributed to AADC-immunoreactive protein. We then investigated if there are non-dopaminergic intrinsic striatal neurons that express AADC. No evidence of such neurons was noted by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization.
