Immunohistochemical study of catechol-O-methyltransferase in the human mesostriatal system

The cellular localization of catechol-O-methyltransferase was analysed in the mesostriatal system of human brain post mortem by means of immunohistochemistry. In the human nigral complex, catechol-O-methyltransferase immunostaining was not detected in melanized dopaminergic neurons, except in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra pars lateralis, where few neurons displayed intense immunolabelling. In the striatum, catechol-O-methyltransferase immunostaining was found in numerous cell bodies and in the neuropile. Observations at the electron microscope level revealed that catechol-O-methyltransferase immunoreactivity was present in the cell bodies of neurons and their processes, including the dendritic spines. No catechol-O-methyltransferase immunolabelling was observed in striatal nerve terminals in contact with dendritic spines, indicating that dopaminergic nerve terminals do not exhibit catechol-O-methyltransferase immunoreactivity. Catechol-O-methyltransferase-immunoreactive cell bodies and processes of glial cells were also detected in the striatum. The data suggest that catechol-O-methyltransferase is either not expressed or only slightly expressed by the dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons, whereas it is clearly present in striatal neurons and glial cells. Thus, the catabolic degradation of striatal released dopamine by its O-methylation may involve postsynaptic neurons rather than dopaminergic presynaptic neurons. The presence of catechol-O-methyltransferase in some dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra pars lateralis suggests that methylation of dopamine may occur in these neurons, which may consequently be better protected against dopamine auto-oxidation than those of the substantia nigra pars compacta.