Synthetic Dopamine Melanin Research Articles

Neuromelanin Modulates Heterocyclic Aromatic Amine-Induced Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity.

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are mutagens and potential human carcinogens. Our group and others have demonstrated that HAAs may also produce selective dopaminergic neurotoxicity, potentially relevant to Parkinson's disease (PD). The goal of this study was to elucidate mechanisms of HAA-induced neurotoxicity through examining a translational biochemical weakness of common PD models. Neuromelanin is a pigmented byproduct of dopamine metabolism that has been debated as being both neurotoxic and neuroprotective in PD. Importantly, neuromelanin is known to bind and potentially release dopaminergic neurotoxicants, including HAAs (eg, β-carbolines such as harmane). Binding of other HAA subclasses (ie, aminoimidazoaazarenes) to neuromelanin has not been investigated, nor has a specific role for neuromelanin in mediating HAA-induced neurotoxicity been examined. Thus, we investigated the role of neuromelanin in modulating HAA-induced neurotoxicity. We characterized melanin from Sepia officinalis and synthetic dopamine melanin, proposed neuromelanin analogs with similar biophysical properties. Using a cell-free assay, we demonstrated strong binding of harmane and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) to neuromelanin analogs. To increase cellular neuromelanin, we transfected SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells with tyrosinase. Relative to controls, tyrosinase-expressing cells exhibited increased neuromelanin levels, cellular HAA uptake, cell toxicity, and oxidative damage. Given that typical cellular and rodent PD models form far lower neuromelanin levels than humans, there is a critical translational weakness in assessing HAA-neurotoxicity. The primary impacts of these results are identification of a potential mechanism by which HAAs accumulate in catecholaminergic neurons and support for the need to conduct neurotoxicity studies in systems forming neuromelanin.

Neuromelanin is an immune stimulator for dendritic cells in vitro

BackgroundParkinson's disease (PD) is characterized at the cellular level by a destruction of neuromelanin (NM)-containing dopaminergic cells and a profound reduction in striatal dopamine. It has been shown recently that anti-melanin antibodies are increased in sera of Parkinson patients, suggesting that NM may act as an autoantigen. In this study we tested whether NM is being recognized by dendritic cells (DCs), the major cell type for inducing T- and B-cell responses in vivo. This recognition of NM by DCs is a prerequisite to trigger an adaptive autoimmune response directed against NM-associated structures.ResultsMurine DCs were treated with NM of substantia nigra (SN) from human subjects or with synthetic dopamine melanin (DAM). DCs effectively phagocytized NM and subsequently developed a mature phenotype (CD86high/MHCIIhigh). NM-activated DCs secreted the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. In addition, they potently triggered T cell proliferation in a mixed lymphocyte reaction, showing that DC activation was functional to induce a primary T cell response. In contrast, DAM, which lacks the protein and lipid components of NM but mimics the dopamine-melanin backbone of NM, had only very little effect on DC phenotype and function.ConclusionsNM is recognized by DCs in vitro and triggers their maturation. If operative in vivo, this would allow the DC-mediated transport and presentation of SN antigens to the adaptive immune system, leading to autoimmmunity in susceptible individuals. Our data provide a rationale for an autoimmune-based pathomechanism of PD with NM as the initial trigger.

Functional effects of neuromelanin and synthetic melanin in model systems

The function of the dark polymer pigment neuromelanin found in catecholaminergic neurons of the human brain is not understood, especially as most published data are based upon a synthetic model melanin which differs structurally to the native pigment. Nevertheless human neuromelanin has been shown to efficiently bind transition metals such as iron, as well as other potentially toxic molecules. The pigment may have a protective function in the healthy brain by, for example, contributing to iron homeostasis within pigmented nuclei. We have demonstrated that synthetic dopamine melanin stimulates cell damage in both cell lines and primary cells in vitro, an effect associated with increased hydroxyl radical production and apoptosis. In contrast, at low iron concentrations native neuromelanin does not induce cell damage but rather protects cells in culture from oxidative stress. This protective function appears to be lost at high iron concentrations where neuromelanin saturated with iron functions as a source of oxidative load, rather than an iron chelator. Changes to neuromelanin and tissue iron load in Parkinson's disease may decrease the protective potential of the pigment, thus increase the potential for cell damage in this disorder.

Differential effects of human neuromelanin and synthetic dopamine melanin on neuronal and glial cells

We investigated the effects of neuromelanin (NM) isolated from the human substantia nigra and synthetic dopamine melanin (DAM) on neuronal and glial cell lines and on primary rat mesencephalic cultures. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and lipid peroxidation were significantly increased in SK-N-SH cells by DAM but not by NM. In contrast, iron-saturated NM significantly increased LDH activity in SK-N-SH cells, compared with 100 mg/mL ETDA-treated NM containing a low concentration of bound iron. DAM, but not NM, stimulated hydroxyl radical production and increased SK-N-SH cell death via apoptotic-like mechanisms. Neither DAM nor NM induced any changes in the glial cell line U373. 3H-dopamine uptake in primary rat mesencephalic cultures was significantly reduced in DAM-compared with NM-treated cultures, accompanied by increased cell death via an apoptosis-like mechanism. Interestingly, Fenton-induced cell death was significantly decreased in cultures treated with both Fenton reagent and NM, an effect not seen in cultures treated with Fenton reagent plus DAM. These data are suggestive of a protective role for neuromelanin under conditions of high oxidative load. Our findings provide new evidence for a physiological role for neuromelanin in vivo and highlights the caution with which data based upon model systems should be interpreted.

Dopamine melanin‐loaded PC12 cells: a model for studies on pigmented neurons

The most conspicuous feature in idiopathic parkinsonism is the degeneration of pigmented neurons in the substantia nigra. A major problem for the study of the significance of neuromelanin for the development of parkinsonism is that common experimental animals lack neuromelanin in substantia nigra. The aim of this study was to develop an in vitro model that could be used to study the role of neuromelanin in chemically induced toxicity in dopaminergic cells. Cultured neuron-like PC12 cells were exposed to synthetic dopamine melanin (0-1.0 mg/ml) for 48 h, resulting in uptake of dopamine melanin particles into the cells. The intracellular distribution of dopamine melanin granules was similar to that found in neuromelanin-containing neurons. Dopamine melanin, up to 0.5 mg/ml, had negligible effects on ultrastructure, induction of the endoplasmic reticulum-stress protein glucose regulating protein 78, activation of caspase-3 and cell viability. The decreased cell viability in response to the cytotoxic peptide amyloid-beta25-35 was similar in melanin-loaded cells and in control cells without melanin. The results of the studies suggest that melanin-loaded PC12 cells can serve as an in vitro model for studies on the role of neuromelanin for the toxicity of chemicals, in particular neurotoxicants with melanin affinity, in pigmented neurons.

Structural characteristics of human substantia nigra neuromelanin and synthetic dopamine melanins.

Neuromelanin (NM) is a complex polymer pigment found primarily in the dopaminergic neurons of the human substantia nigra. The structure of NM is only partially characterized, and its synthesis pathway remains unknown. We used nuclear magnetic and infrared spectroscopy to examine the structure of human NM isolated from the substantia nigra compared with synthetic dopamine melanins. Biochemical analyses were used to investigate proteinaceous and dopaminergic components in these samples. Following acid hydrolysis of NM samples, small amounts of DOPA, dopamine, and a variety of amino acids were measured. These findings suggest a peptide component in NM structure. NM also appears to contain a variety of unidentified structural components possibly derived from the oxidation of dopamine. Human NM differs structurally from synthetic dopamine melanin, but both human and synthetic NM include an aromatic backbone. It is interesting that both human NM and synthetic melanin also contain a large proportion of aliphatic structures. Our results suggest that NM is a more complex pigment than synthetic dopamine melanin formed via dopamine autoxidation alone.

Dopamine-melanin is actively phagocytized by PC12 cells and cerebellar granular cells: possible implications for the etiology of Parkinson's disease

Neuromelanin in the substantia nigra may be associated with the pathogenesis of nigral cell death in Parkinson's disease. We used synthetic dopamine-melanin (DA-M) as a model compound for neuromelanin and examined its toxic effects on mice cerebellar granule cells and a rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12). The DA-M and dopamine-treated cells showed an accumulation of black deposits when examined by light microscopy. Electron microscopy revealed different stages of DA-M phagocytosis, starting with DA-M binding, engulfment of the particles and the formation of phagosomes located in the cytoplasm. Using absorption assays, we found that NaN 3 and low temperature inhibit the internalization of DA-M, pointing to an energy-dependent phagocytosis mechanism. These results suggest that neuromelanin can be phagocytised by neuronal cells which may thus be subjected to its toxic effects. These findings may contribute to our understanding of the formation and disposition of neuromelanin and its possible role in the etiology of Parkinson's disease.

Dopamine–melanin induces apoptosis in PC12 cells; possible implications for the etiology of Parkinson's disease

The function of neuromelanin (NM), the oxidized dopamine (DA) polymer, within the DA-producing cells in the human and primate substantia nigra (SN), is still an enigma. Some studies show that the vulnerability of nigral neurons in Parkinson's disease is correlated to their toxic NM content, while others suggest that it contributes to cellular protection. We showed recently that DA, the endogenous nigral neurotransmitter, triggers apoptosis, an active program of cellular self-destruction, in neuronal cultures. In the present study, we exposed cells to synthetic dopamine–melanin (DA–M) and analysed the cellular and genetic changes. We found that exposure of PC12 cells to DA–M (0.5 mg/ml for 24 h) caused 50% cell death, as indicated by trypan blue exclusion assay and 3H-thymidine incorporation. Gel electrophoresis DNA analysis of PC12 cells treated with DA–M showed the typical apoptotic DNA ladder, indicating inter-nucleosomal DNA degradation. The DNA fragmentation also was visualized histochemically in situ by DNA end-labeling staining (the TUNEL method). The FeCl 2 (0.05 mM) significantly increased DA–M toxicity, while desferrioxamine, an iron chelator, totally abolished the additive toxicity of iron. The contribution of oxidative stress in this model of DA–M-induced cell death was examined using various antioxidants. In contrast to DA, inhibition of DA–M toxicity antioxidants by reduced glutathione (GSH), N-acetyl cysteine, catalase and Zn/Cu superoxide dismutase (SOD) was very limited. In conclusion, we found that DA–M may induce typical apoptotic death in PC12 cells. Our findings support a possible role of NM in the vulnerability of the dopaminergic neural degeneration in Parkinson's disease. The differential protective effect by antioxidants against toxicity of DA and DA–M may have implications for future neuroprotective therapeutic approaches for this common neurological disorder.

Mössbauer spectroscopic studies of purified human neuromelanin isolated from the substantia nigra.

57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy at different temperatures has been used to characterize the nature of purified human neuromelanin isolated from the substantia nigra. The quantitative determination of iron(III) by estimation of the overall area of the Mössbauer spectrum at room temperature reveals an iron content of 2.8 +/- 1.4%. No subspectra corresponding to divalent iron could be observed in these spectra. The derived Mössbauer parameters lead to the conclusion that the iron sites in the human neuromelanin are similar to those of human hemosiderin (or ferritin). However, owing to the water insolubility of the purified neuromelanin, it must be concluded that the neuromelanin hemosiderin (or ferritin) is bound in a protein matrix that makes it insoluble and difficult to stain histochemically. This protein attachment to neuromelanin is important in that it is what makes it different from synthetic dopamine melanin.

Purified human neuromelanin, synthetic dopamine melanin as a potential model pigment, and the normal human substantia nigra: characterization by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Neuromelanin is a poorly understood pigment that accumulates in catecholaminergic neurons during normal aging. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, an especially effective technique for investigating melanins, is used in the present study to show unambiguously that neuromelanin is a melanin; however, it is not well modeled by synthetic dopamine melanin and thus is an atypical melanin. Some of the unusual features of neuromelanin can be explained by postulating two distinct sources for its free radicals, the dominant one possibly derived from a precursor containing sulfur. Examination of human substantia nigra by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy during the purification of neuromelanin also demonstrates, contrary to some other studies, that a portion of the paramagnetic metal ions in this tissue are bound to the pigment in situ. Combined with previous histochemical data, these observations have implications for the mechanism through which neuromelanin accumulates in vivo and are consistent with its having a cytoprotective function under normal conditions, but a cytotoxic role at advanced ages and in patients with Parkinson's disease. Other results of this study show that homogenizing tissues during the purification of any natural pigment may cause contamination of the pigment by extraneous metal ions and that subsequent incubation in hot acid, though most effective in removing metal ions and hydrolyzing proteins, leads to degradation of melanin. A purification procedure using incubation in acid at room temperature, however, is well suited for identifying and characterizing unknown natural pigments by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Iron, melanin and dopamine interaction: relevance to parkinson's disease

1. Interaction between iron and melanin may provide a reasonable explanation for the vulnerability of the melanin containing dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). 2. Scatchard analysis of the binding of iron to synthetic dopamine melanin revealed a high-affinity (K D = 13 nM) and a lower affinity (K D = 200 nM) binding sites. 3. The binding of iron to melanin is dependent on the concentration of melanin and on pH. 4. Iron chelators, U74500A, desferrioxamine and to a lesser extent 1,10-phenanthroline and chlorpromazine could displace iron from melanin. In contrast, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahdropyridine (MPTP) and its metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium (MPP+), which cause Parkinsonism, were unable to displace iron. 5. Melanin alone reduced lipid peroxidation in rat cortical membrane preparations. However, iron induced lipid peroxidation, which could he inhibited by desferrioxamine, was potentiated by melanin. 6. Iron bound to neuromelanin in melanized dopamine neurons was detected only in parkinsonian brains and not in controls. The interaction of iron with neuromelanin as identified by x-ray defraction technique was identical to iron interaction with synthetic dopamine melanin. 7. In the absence of an identified exogenous or endogenous neurotoxin in idiopathic Parkinson's disease, iron-melanin interaction in the SN may serve as a candidate for the oxygen-radical induced neurodegeneration of the melanin containing dopaminergic neurons.

Interactions of the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2, 3-dihydropyridinium species with synthetic dopamine-melanin

This paper describes interactions between the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2, 3-dihydropyridinium (MPDP +) metabolite of the nigrostriatal toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) with synthetic dopamine-melanin, a polymeric pigment which is similar to the neuromelanin found in the nigrostriatal cell bodies of humans and primates. Although MPTP and its 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP +) metabolite bind to the synthetic pigment at physiological pH, both compounds are recovered quantitatively upon treatment with acid. Unlike MPTP and MPP +, MPDP + proved to be unstable in the presence of synthetic dopamine-melanin which promoted its conversion to the fully oxidized pyridinium product MPP +. The possible biological significance of this interaction is discussed.

Melanin affinity of manganese.

The melanin affinity of manganese was studied in vitro using melanin isolated from beef eyes or human hair, and synthetic dopamine melanin, which is known to be structurally similar to the melanin present in the pigmented nerve cells in the human substantia nigra. In addition, the uptake of manganese in melanin containing tissues in vitro and in vivo was studied by whole body autoradiography. Manganese was bound to beef eye, human hair and synthetic dopamine melanin, and was taken up in pigmented tissues in mice and a monkey. Long-time exposure to manganese may cause a chronic extrapyramidal disorder. It is suggested that manganese, due to its neurotoxicity, may cause lesions in pigment containing neurones in the substantia nigra secondary to its accumulation on the neuromelanin.