Substance K (NKA) increases tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA in cultured substantia nigra |
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Authors: | W J Friedman C F Dreyfus B McEwen I B Black |
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Institution: | Division of Developmental Neurology, Cornell University Medical Center, New York, NY 10021. |
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Abstract: | Cultured explants of the mouse substantia nigra were used to analyze mechanisms underlying the depolarization-induced increase in tyrosine hydroxylase activity. Steady-state levels of messenger RNA encoding tyrosine hydroxylase were detected using an antisense riboprobe in an RNase protection assay. Explants exposed to the depolarizing agent, veratridine, exhibited an approximate 2-fold increase in tyrosine hydroxylase messenger RNA. Moreover, the native presynaptic excitatory agonist substance K also elicited a significant increase in tyrosine hydroxylase message. We conclude that depolarizing influences induce tyrosine hydroxylase in the cultured substantia nigra in association with an elevation of enzyme messenger RNA. |
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