Detection of tyrosine hydroxylase in dopaminergic neuron cell using gold nanoparticles-based barcode DNA

J Biomed Nanotechnol. 2013 Apr;9(4):639-43. doi: 10.1166/jbn.2013.1525.

Abstract

Tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme of catecholamine biosysthesis, is predominantly expressed in several cell groups within the brain, including the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. We evaluated the efficacy of this protein-detection method in detecting tyrosine hydroxylase in normal and oxidative stress damaged dopaminergic cells. In this study, a coupling of DNA barcode and bead-based immnunoassay for detecting tyrosine hydroxylaser with PCR-like sensitivity is reported. The method relies on magnetic nanoparticles with antibodies and nanoparticles that are encoded with DNA and antibodies that can sandwich the target protein captured by the nanoparticle-bound antibodies. The aggregate sandwich structures are magnetically separated from solution, and treated to remove the conjugated barcode DNA. The DNA barcodes were identified by PCR analysis. The concentration of tyrosine hydroxylase in dopaminergic cell can be easily and rapidly detected using bio-barcode assay. The bio-barcode assay is a rapid and high-throughput screening tool to detect of neurotransmitter such as dopamine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / enzymology*
  • Electrophoresis, Agar Gel
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / genetics
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Gold
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase