《Science》：复合胺合成与人类精神疾病
复合胺是大脑中调节情绪的化学物质，科学家发现，一个最近发现的与复合胺合成有关的基因的微小差异会控制了小鼠大脑中复合胺的水平。大脑中复合胺水平的变化与小鼠的行为差异和人类的精神病行为有关。Xiaodong Zhang和同事在本期的一篇简报中说，将小鼠Tph2基因中一个单碱基对替换就能影响Tph2酶的功能，并导致小鼠大脑中复合胺合成的减少。这一发现对研究具有不同Tph2基因类型的小鼠的生物医学人员也许有实用。研究人员指出，如果进一步的研究能在人类的Tph2基因中找到这类功能性的基因变异，那么这一研究也为认识更好地了解与复合胺有关的人类精神疾病建立了基础。
Tryptophan Hydroxylase-2 Controls Brain Serotonin Synthesis
Dysregulation of brain serotonin contributes to many psychiatric disorders. Tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (Tph2), rather than Tph1, is preferentially expressed in the brain. We report a functional (C1473G) single-nucleotide polymorphism in mouse Tph2 that results in the substitution of Pro447 with Arg447 and leads to decreased serotonin levels in PC12 cells. Moreover, in BALB/cJ and DBA/2 mice that are homozygous for the 1473G allele, brain serotonin tissue content and synthesis are reduced in comparison to C57Bl/6 and 129X1/SvJ mice that are homozygous for the 1473C allele. Our data provide direct evidence for a fundamental role of Tph2 in brain serotonin synthesis.
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Tryptophan Hydroxylase-2 Controls Brain Serotonin Synthesis
Dysregulation of brain serotonin contributes to many psychiatric disorders. Tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (Tph2), rather than Tph1, is preferentially expressed in the brain. We report a functional (C1473G) single-nucleotide polymorphism in mouse Tph2 that results in the substitution of Pro447 with Arg447 and leads to decreased serotonin levels in PC12 cells. Moreover, in BALB/cJ and DBA/2 mice that are homozygous for the 1473G allele, brain serotonin tissue content and synthesis are reduced in comparison to C57Bl/6 and 129X1/SvJ mice that are homozygous for the 1473C allele. Our data provide direct evidence for a fundamental role of Tph2 in brain serotonin synthesis.
全文下载：
点击浏览该文件, 百拇医药(生物谷)