In Vitro Release of L-dopa and Dopamine by Genetically Modified Fibroblasts of the Rat

ABSTRACT

A construct DNA containing the cDNA for rat tyrosine hydroxylase(TH) and another construct DNA containing the cDNA for bovine L-dopa decarboxylase(DDC) were made and those genes were transferred by calcium phosphate transfection method into the immortalized rat fibroblasts. A both TH- & DDC-positive clone was identified by immunocytochemical staining. These cells produced L-dopa and dopamine and released them into the cell culture medium in vitro, which was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography. These results have general implications for the application of gene therapy and specific implications for Parkinson disease.