monoiodotyrosine and Parkinson-Disease

Topics: Bipolar Disorder; Blood Proteins; Capsules; Carbonates; Chromatography, Paper; Clinical Trials as Topic; Dihydroxyphenylalanine; Diiodotyrosine; Fluoresceins; Humans; Iodine; Iodoproteins; Lithium; Monoiodotyrosine; Parkinson Disease; Protein Binding; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine

Planaria are the simplest organisms with bilateral symmetry and a central nervous system (CNS) with cephalization; therefore, they could be useful as model organisms to investigate mechanistic aspects of parkinsonism and to screen potential therapeutic agents. Taking advantage of the organism's anti-tropism towards light, we measured a significantly reduced locomotor velocity in planaria after exposure to 3-iodo-L-tyrosine, an inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase that is an enzyme catalyzing the first and rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of catecholamines. A simple semi-automatic assay using videotaped experiments and subsequent evaluation by tracking software was also implemented to increase throughput. The dopaminergic regulation of locomotor velocity was confirmed by bromocriptine, a drug whose mechanisms of action to treat Parkinson's disease is believed to be through the stimulation of nerves that control movement.

Topics: Animals; Bromocriptine; Humans; Light; Locomotion; Models, Animal; Monoiodotyrosine; Parkinson Disease; Planarians; Protein Binding; Receptors, Dopamine; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase