Pierre AUBINEAU wrote:
>> I'm presently designing a new research protocol which supposes that I can
> visualize histologically (L.S. confoc. microsc., or electron mic.) the
> cellular localization of the first step of serotonin sythesis, i.e., 5-HTP.
> Since, to my knowledge, no Ab exist against 5-HTP, the easiest way seems to
> me to transform ex-vivo the 5-HTP into 5-HT by the action of a L-amino acid
> decarboxylase. Could tyrosine decarboxylase be efficient for this purpose ?
> Does it exist a more specific decarboxylase available (commercially or
> not).
Hi, Pierre
As far as I know, "tyrosine decarboxylase" is identical with "5-HTP decarboxylas
e" thus now collectively called L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). There are som
e papers which purify this enzyme from pig kidney. It is stable and I don't thi
nk it is so difficult to purify. Even partical purification might be enough for
your purpose as inhibitors (NSD1015 etc) are available. But I wonder why you w
ant to do like that. If you use AADC you will have 5-HT but how do you discrimi
nate it with endogenous 5-HT? What about using antibody against tryptophan hydr
oxylase? Also under usual condition, very little 5-HTP are detected compared wi
th 5-HT because while tryptophan hydroxylase is rate limitting and rather weak e
nzyme, AADC is very strong enzyme.
Hope this helps.
Yasunori Hayashi