Major
Biology
Anticipated Graduation Year
2022
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
L-DOPA is a dopamine precursor that is commonly used to treat Parkinson’s Disease patients to alleviate their motility and mobility symptoms1,2. L-DOPA, also known as L-dihydroxyphenylalanine or levodopa, is synthesized from L-tyrosine via the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, and converted to dopamine via DOPA decarboxylase1. Dopamine can also be synthesized from tyramine via CYP2D4, however L-DOPA is significant because it can cross the blood brain barrier to replenish dopamine deficits in the dopaminergic pathways of the brain, unlike dopamine and tyramine1.The purpose of this project is to investigate how the introduction of exogenous dopamine or it's pharmacological precursor L-DOPA influences gut microbial community structure and function and analyze whether the changes that we anticipate in the microbial community reflect the community structures that are found in vivo from Parkinson’s patients taking L-DOPA.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Dr. Michael Burns, Assistant Professor, Biology
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
L-DOPA Interaction with the Human Gut Microbial Community in Parkinson’s Disease
L-DOPA is a dopamine precursor that is commonly used to treat Parkinson’s Disease patients to alleviate their motility and mobility symptoms1,2. L-DOPA, also known as L-dihydroxyphenylalanine or levodopa, is synthesized from L-tyrosine via the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, and converted to dopamine via DOPA decarboxylase1. Dopamine can also be synthesized from tyramine via CYP2D4, however L-DOPA is significant because it can cross the blood brain barrier to replenish dopamine deficits in the dopaminergic pathways of the brain, unlike dopamine and tyramine1.The purpose of this project is to investigate how the introduction of exogenous dopamine or it's pharmacological precursor L-DOPA influences gut microbial community structure and function and analyze whether the changes that we anticipate in the microbial community reflect the community structures that are found in vivo from Parkinson’s patients taking L-DOPA.