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Synthesis and Metabolism of Gut Dopamine

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Dopamine in the Gut
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Abstract

Not only the central nervous system can produce dopamine (DA), the gastrointestinal tract is also an important source of DA, such as gastric mucosa and pancreas. Additionally, colonic lumen also contains substantial DA. The rapid degradation of DA ensures its proper function in various locations in the body. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) are the main metabolic enzymes of DA and are widely distributed in the gut. The altered contents or activities of these enzymes could cause the changes of DA levels in the gut, thereby might be correlated to some gastrointestinal disorders. Although the function and degradation of luminal DA are still unknown, a number of studies have reported that gut microbiota is involved in the progress of many diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Besides, the relationship between luminal DA and gut microbiome has been reported. In the present chapter, we focus on the sources and metabolism of gut DA, the distribution and function of MAO and COMT in various regions of gut, as well as the relationship among gut microbiome, luminal DA, and gastrointestinal disorders.

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Abbreviations

3-MT:

3-methoxytyramine

CD:

Crohn’s disease

CNS:

Central nervous system

COMT:

Catechol-O-methyltransferase

DA:

Dopamine

DAT:

DA transporter

DDC:

DOPA decarboxylase

DOPAC:

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid

DOPAL:

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde

ENS:

Enteric nervous system

GF:

Germ-free

GFAP:

Glial fibrillary acidic protein

GI:

Gastrointestinal

HDC:

Histidine decarboxylase

HVA:

Homovanillic acid

IBD:

Inflammatory bowel disease

IBS:

Irritable bowel syndrome

MAO:

Monoamine oxidase

α-MDL:

α-Methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride

MPP+:

1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridine

MPTP:

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-teterahydropyridine

NF:

Neurofilament

PD:

Parkinson’s disease

SCFA:

Short-chain fatty acid

SN:

Substantia nigra

SPF:

Specific pathogen-free

TH:

Tyrosine hydroxylase

UC:

Ulcerative colitis

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Correspondence to Jin-Xia Zhu .

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Liu, CZ., Feng, XY., Liu, S., Zhang, XL., Zhu, JX. (2021). Synthesis and Metabolism of Gut Dopamine. In: Zhu, JX. (eds) Dopamine in the Gut. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6586-5_2

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