Proteomics as a tool to investigate cell models for dopamine toxicity

Dopaminergic neurons are particularly exposed to oxidative stress because dopamine metabolism gives rise to endogenous toxins. Here, two different models for dopamine toxicity have been investigated using proteomics: stable α-synuclein-expressing neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells to understand how α-synuclein modulates dopamine toxicity at the central level, and cultured T-cell leukaemia (Jurkat) cells challenged with dopamine or l-dopa to evaluate protein changes on the surface of peripheral cells. α-synuclein-expressing cells were more resistant compared with wild-type cells, showing upregulation of antioxidant proteins including the Parkinson's disease-related DJ-1 protein. In addition, treatment of prototypical T-cells with l-dopa induced significant changes in proteins on the cell surface, indicating that peripheral blood lymphocytes may be good indicators of dopamine toxicity.