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Elevated dopamine concentration in light‐adapted zebrafish retinas is correlated with increased dopamine synthesis and metabolism
Author(s) -
Connaughton Victoria P.,
Wetzell Bradley,
Arneson Lynne S.,
DeLucia Vittoria,
L. Riley Anthony
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/jnc.13264
Subject(s) - dopamine , tyrosine hydroxylase , 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid , zebrafish , retinal , retina , biology , endocrinology , medicine , chemistry , homovanillic acid , biochemistry , neuroscience , serotonin , receptor , gene
Probing zebrafish ( Danio rerio) retinal cryostat sections, collected either 8 h into the light or dark cycle, with an antibody against tyrosine hydroxylase ( TH ) identified a single population of immunopositive cells in the inner retina. However, the observed labeling patterns were not identical in both sets of tissues – label intensity was brighter in light‐adapted tissue. This difference was quantified by probing western blots of retinal homogenates with the same TH antibody, which showed that TH expression increased by 42% in light‐adapted tissue. High‐performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection revealed that the concentrations of both dopamine and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid ( DOPAC ) are also elevated in light‐adapted zebrafish retinal tissue. Dopamine levels increased by 14% and DOPAC levels increased by 25% when measured in retinal homogenates harvested during the light cycle. These results indicate that dopamine levels in zebrafish retina are significantly increased in light‐adapted tissue. The increase in dopamine content is correlated with an increase in both TH and DOPAC , suggesting that changes in dopamine concentration are due to light‐adaptive changes in the synthesis, release and metabolism of dopamine.Dopamine concentration is elevated in lighted‐adapted zebrafish retinas. This increase is correlated with an increase in both tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and DOPAC (3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid), suggesting that changes in dopamine concentration are due to light‐adaptive changes in the synthesis, release and metabolism of dopamine. This is applicable to studies examining retinal mutants, the role of dopamine in disease or visual system development.