Abstract
Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of catecholamines. In zebrafish, two genes encoding TH have been identified. We cloned them and studied their expression in zebrafish. In adult tissues, th1 mRNA was more abundant than th2 mRNA in the brain and eyes, whereas th2 mRNA was more abundant in the liver, kidney, heart and gills. In developing brain, th1 mRNA was readily detected at 1 day post-fertilization using qPCR and in situ hybridization, whereas th2 mRNA appeared later. th1 was found in 17 catecholaminergic groups in larval brain, whereas th2 was found in four additional groups. A monoclonal antibody commonly used against TH detected preferentially TH1 protein. The two th genes, probably originated as a result of genome duplication, thus show complementary expression, although th1 is predominant in the brain and th2 in the periphery. th2 may be a novel essential factor in regulation of catecholamine synthesis in zebrafish.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anichtchik OV, Kaslin J, Peitsaro N, Scheinin M, Panula P (2004) Neurochemical and behavioural changes in zebrafish Danio rerio after systemic administration of 6-hydroxydopamine and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine. J Neurochem 88:443–453
Candy J, Collet C (2005) Two tyrosine hydroxylase genes in teleosts. Biochim Biophys Acta 1727:35–44
Darland T, Dowling JE (2001) Behavioral screening for cocaine sensitivity in mutagenized zebrafish. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:11691–11696
Guo S, Brush J, Teraoka H, Goddard A, Wilson SW, Mullins MC, Rosenthal A (1999a) Development of noradrenergic neurons in the zebrafish hindbrain requires BMP, FGF8, and the homeodomain protein soulless/Phox2a. Neuron 24:555–566
Guo S, Wilson SW, Cooke S, Chitnis AB, Driever W, Rosenthal A (1999b) Mutations in the zebrafish unmask shared regulatory pathways controlling the development of catecholaminergic neurons. Dev Biol 208:473–487
Hokfelt T, Johansson O, Fuxe K, Goldstein M, Park D (1976) Immunohistochemical studies on the localization and distribution of monoamine neuron systems in the rat brain. I. Tyrosine hydroxylase in the mes- and diencephalon. Med Biol 54:427–453
Holzschuh J, Ryu S, Aberger F, Driever W (2001) Dopamine transporter expression distinguishes dopaminergic neurons from other catecholaminergic neurons in the developing zebrafish embryo. Mech Dev 101:237–243
Kaslin J, Nystedt JM, Ostergard M, Peitsaro N, Panula P (2004) The orexin/hypocretin system in zebrafish is connected to the aminergic and cholinergic systems. J Neurosci 24:2678–2689
Kimmel CB, Ballard WW, Kimmel SR, Ullmann B, Schilling TF (1995) Stages of embryonic development of the zebrafish. Dev Dyn 203:253–310
Langston JW, Ballard PA Jr (1983) Parkinson’s disease in a chemist working with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine. N Engl J Med 309:310
Livak KJ, Schmittgen TD (2001) Analysis of relative gene expression data using real-time quantitative PCR and the 2(-Delta Delta C(T)) method. Methods 25:402–408
Peitsaro N, Sundvik M, Anichtchik OV, Kaslin J, Panula P (2007) Identification of zebrafish histamine H1, H2 and H3 receptors and effects of histaminergic ligands on behavior. Biochem Pharmacol 73:1205–1214
Pickel VM, Joh TH, Field PM, Becker CG, Reis DJ (1975a) Cellular localization of tyrosine hydroxylase by immunohistochemistry. J Histochem Cytochem 23:1–12
Pickel VM, Joh TH, Reis DJ (1975b) Immunohistochemical localization of tyrosine hydroxylase in brain by light and electron microscopy. Brain Res 85:295–300
Rink E, Wullimann MF (2002) Development of the catecholaminergic system in the early zebrafish brain: an immunohistochemical study. Brain Res Dev Brain Res 137:89–100
Sallinen V, Torkko V, Sundvik M, Reenila I, Khrustalyov D, Kaslin J, Panula P (2009) MPTP and MPP + target specific aminergic cell populations in larval zebrafish. J Neurochem 108:719–731
Thisse C, Thisse B (2008) High-resolution in situ hybridization to whole-mount zebrafish embryos. Nat Protoc 3:59–69
Valente EM, Abou-Sleiman PM, Caputo V, Muqit MM, Harvey K, Gispert S, Ali Z, Del Turco D, Bentivoglio AR, Healy DG, Albanese A, Nussbaum R, Gonzalez-Maldonado R, Deller T, Salvi S, Cortelli P, Gilks WP, Latchman DS, Harvey RJ, Dallapiccola B, Auburger G, Wood NW (2004) Hereditary early-onset Parkinson’s disease caused by mutations in PINK1. Science 304:1158–1160
Acknowledgments
We thank Henri Koivula, BSc, and Ms. Susanna Norrbacka for expert technical help in fish maintenance. This study was supported by the Academy of Finland (projects’ no. 207352 and 116177) and the Sigrid Juselius Foundation to PP.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, YC., Priyadarshini, M. & Panula, P. Complementary developmental expression of the two tyrosine hydroxylase transcripts in zebrafish. Histochem Cell Biol 132, 375–381 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-009-0619-8
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-009-0619-8