Overview:

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of the catecholamines dopamine and norepinephrine. TH antibodies can therefore be used as markers for dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons in a variety of applications including depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and drug abuse (Kish et al., 2001; Zhu et al., 2000; Zhu et al., 1999). Tyrosine Hydroxylase antibodies can also be used to explore basic mechanisms of dopamine and norepinephrine signaling (Witkovsky et al., 2000; Salvatore et al., 2001; Dunkley et al., 2004).

References:

1. Dunkley PR, Bobrovskaya L, et al. Striatal dopaminergic and serotonergic markers in human heroin users. Neuropsychopharmacology 24:561-567. 2001.

2. Salvatore MF, Waymire JC, Haycock JW, Depolarization-stimulated catecholamine biosynthesis: involvement of protein kinases and tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation sites in situ. J Neurochem 79:349-360. 2001.

3. Witkovsky P, Gabriel R, Haycock JW, Meller E, Influence of light and neural circuitry on tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in the rat retina. J Chem Neuroanat 19:105-116. 2000.

4. Xu ZQ, Lew JY, Harada K, et al, Immunohistochemical studies on phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase in central catecholamine neurons using site- and phosphorylation state-specific antibodies. Neurosci 82:727-738. 1998.

5. Zhu MY, Klimek V, Haycock JW, Ordway GA, Quantitation of tyrosine hydroxylase protein in the locus coeruleus from postmortem human brain. J Neurosci Meth 99:37-44. 2000.

6. Zhu MY, Klimek V, Dilley GE, et al, Elevated levels of tyrosine hydroxylase in the locus coeruleus in major depression. Biol Psychiatry 46:1275-1286. 1999.