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Single Cell Measurement of Dopamine Release with Simultaneous Voltage-clamp and Amperometry
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Published on: November 21, 2012

Cellular effects of dopamine--beyond oxidative mechanisms

Christian Pifl1, Alexandra Kattinger, Harald Reither

  • 1Brain Research Institute, University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, 1090, Vienna, Austria. christian.pifl@univie.ac.at

Parkinsonism & Related Disorders
|September 10, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Dopamine, at low concentrations, halts the growth of neuroblastoma cells by arresting their cell cycle. This effect stems from dopamine

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cell cycle blockers impact dividing and differentiated cells differently.
  • Dopamine transporter (DAT) plays a role in dopamine regulation.
  • Neurotransmitter functions extend beyond receptors and signaling pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of dopamine on neuroblastoma cell growth.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which dopamine affects cell division.
  • To explore novel biological actions of dopamine.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized dopamine transporter transfected SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cells.
  • Administered low micromolar concentrations of dopamine.
  • Assessed cell cycle progression using flow cytometry.
  • Investigated the role of iron chelation and oxidative stress.

Main Results:

  • Dopamine at low micromolar levels significantly inhibited neuroblastoma cell growth.
  • Dopamine induced cell cycle arrest at the G(1) phase.
  • The inhibitory effect was independent of oxy radical formation.
  • The effect was antagonized by transporter blockade and abolished by FeCl(3).
  • Deferoxamine mimicked dopamine's inhibitory effect, suggesting iron chelation.

Conclusions:

  • Dopamine inhibits neuroblastoma cell growth by chelating intracellular iron.
  • This novel mechanism is independent of neurotransmitter receptors or oxidative stress.
  • This action may be crucial for neurodevelopmental cell differentiation and neuronal survival.

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