Dbh, also known as Dopamine β-Hydroxylase, is a copper-dependent mono-oxygenase that converts dopamine to norepinephrine, thus regulating the endogenous dopamine content in neurons [3,4]. This function is crucial for maintaining normal neurotransmitter balance and is involved in neural signaling pathways related to the nervous system's function [3,4]. Genetic models, such as KO/CKO mouse models, can be valuable tools for studying Dbh's functions.

In mice, repeated exposure to inhaled allergen activates a population of Dbh+ neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (nTS) of the brainstem in a mast cell -, interleukin-4 (IL-4)-and vagal nerve-dependent manner [1,2]. Ablation or chemogenetic inactivation of Dbh+ nTS neurons blunts allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity, a hallmark of asthma, while chemogenetic activation promotes it [1,2]. These findings suggest that Dbh+ nTS neurons play a key role in the allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity circuit [1,2].

In conclusion, Dbh is essential for regulating dopamine content in neurons. Studies using mouse models have revealed its significant role in allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity, a major aspect of asthma. These findings provide insights into potential neural modulation strategies for controlling this condition [1,2].

References:

1. Su, Yujuan, Xu, Jinhao, Zhu, Ziai, Nimmerjahn, Axel, Sun, Xin. 2024. Brainstem Dbh+ neurons control allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity. In Nature, 631, 601-609. doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07608-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38987587/

2. Su, Yujuan, Xu, Jinhao, Zhu, Ziai, Nimmerjahn, Axel, Sun, Xin. 2024. Brainstem Dbh+ Neurons Control Chronic Allergen-Induced Airway Hyperreactivity. In bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, , . doi:10.1101/2023.02.04.527145. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36778350/

3. Ghosh, Arunibha, Sadhukhan, Tamal, Giri, Subhajit, Ray, Kunal, Ray, Jharna. 2019. Dopamine β Hydroxylase (DBH) is a potential modifier gene associated with Parkinson's disease in Eastern India. In Neuroscience letters, 706, 75-80. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2019.05.015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31082450/

4. Roy, Shubhrajit, Ghosh, Sampurna, Bhattacharya, Sreyashi, Sengupta, Mainak, Ray, Jharna. 2019. Dopamine β hydroxylase (DBH) polymorphisms do not contribute towards the clinical course of Wilson's disease in Indian patients. In The journal of gene medicine, 21, e3109. doi:10.1002/jgm.3109. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31265749/