Figure 2.

Manipulation of intracellular catechol levels in SH-SY5Y cells expressing A53T α-syn by infection with lentivirus-containing TH expression plasmids. A53T α-syn-expressing cells were infected with lentivirus generated with empty vector plasmid (Vector), or vector expressing wt TH (TH wt), 37,38 RR-GG TH (TH RR-GG), or 37,38 RR-EE TH (TH RR-EE). The cells were infected using a multiplicity of infection that transduced ∼50% of total cells and cultured for 5 d in the presence of 20 μm RA. a, Western blot analysis of TH-infected cells shows similar expression of each TH protein. NSE was used as a loading control. b, Quantification of intracellular catechol levels HPLC with on-line electrochemical detection. Similar results were obtained when wt α-syn-expressing cells were infected with TH-containing plasmids (data not shown). Values are the mean ± SEM (n = 3). *p < 0.05 relative to TH wt and TH RR-GG.