Tryptophan hydroxylase 2 is a key enzyme in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which plays an important role in the regulation of behavior and various physiological functions. We studied the effect of acute ethanol administration on the expression of the early response c-fos gene and metabolism of serotonin and catecholamines in the brain structures of B6-1473C and B6-1473G congenic mouse strains differing in the single-nucleotide substitution C1473G in the Tph2 gene and activity of the encoded enzyme. Acute alcoholization led to a significant upregulation of the c-fos gene expression in the frontal cortex and striatum of B6-1473G mice and in the hippocampus of B6-1473C mice and caused a decrease in the index of serotonin metabolism in the nucleus accumbens in B6-1473C mice and in the hippocampus and striatum of B6-1473G mice, as well as to the decrease in the norepinephrine level in the hypothalamus of B6-1473C mice. Therefore, the C1473G polymorphism in the Tph2 gene has a significant effect of acute ethanol administration on the c-fos expression pattern and metabolism of biogenic amines in the mouse brain.
Keywords: C1473G polymorphism; c-fos gene; dopamine; ethanol; mouse; norepinephrine; serotonin; tryptophan hydroxylase 2.