Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase regulates catecholamine synthesis in pheochromocytoma cells

Incubation of pheochromocytoma cells with 56 mM K+ or with cholera toxin increases the conversion of [14C]tyrosine to [14C]catecholamines (Chalfie, M., Settipani, L., and Perlman, R. L. (1979) Mol. Pharmacol. 15, 263-270). We have now measured the tyrosine content and the rate of dihydroxyphenylalanine production in these cells. Incubation with 56 mM K+ or with cholera toxin increases the rate of dihydroxyphenylalanine production but decreases the tyrosine content of the cells. We have also measured the uptake of tyrosine into pheochromocytoma cells. The rate of tyrosine uptake is more than 1 order of magnitude greater than the rate of dihydroxyphenylalanine production. Moreover, tyrosine uptake is not affected by cholera toxin and is decreased by approximately 30% in media that contain 56 mM K+. These results provide direct evidence that tyrosine 3-monooxygenase regulates catecholamine synthesis in pheochromocytoma cells and that incubation with 56 mM K+ or with cholera toxin causes the activation of this enzyme in these cells.