Oscillatory Activity in the Cortex, Motor Thalamus and Nucleus Reticularis Thalami in Acute TTX and Chronic 6-OHDA Dopamine-Depleted Animals

The motor thalamus (MTh) and the nucleus reticularis thalami (NRT) have been largely neglected in Parkinson's disease (PD) research, despite their key role as interface between basal ganglia (BG) and cortex (Cx). In the present study, we investigated the oscillatory activity within the Cx, MTh, and NRT, in normal and different dopamine (DA)-deficient states. We performed our experiments in both acute and chronic DA-denervated rats by injecting into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) tetrodotoxin (TTX) or 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), respectively. Interestingly, almost all the electroencephalogram (EEG) frequency bands changed in acute and/or chronic DA depletion, suggesting alteration of all oscillatory activities and not of a specific band. Overall, δ (2-4 Hz) and θ (4-8 Hz) band decreased in NRT and Cx in acute and chronic state, whilst, α (8-13 Hz) band decreased in acute and chronic states in the MTh and NRT but not in the Cx. The β (13-40 Hz) and γ (60-90 Hz) bands were enhanced in the Cx. In the NRT the β bands decreased, except for high-β (Hβ, 25-30 Hz) that increased in acute state. In the MTh, Lβ and Hβ decreased in acute DA depletion state and γ decreased in both TTX and 6-OHDA-treated animals. These results confirm that abnormal cortical β band are present in the established DA deficiency and it might be considered a hallmark of PD. The abnormal oscillatory activity in frequency interval of other bands, in particular the dampening of low frequencies in thalamic stations, in both states of DA depletion might also underlie PD motor and non-motor symptoms. Our data highlighted the effects of acute depletion of DA and the strict interplay in the oscillatory activity between the MTh and NRT in both acute and chronic stage of DA depletion. Moreover, our findings emphasize early alterations in the NRT, a crucial station for thalamic information processing.

Design, Synthesis, and Neuroprotective Effects of a Series of Pyrazolines against 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Oxidative Stress

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive, and age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons caused by the accumulation of free radicals and oxidative stress. Based on the neuroprotective properties of 2-pyrazoline derivatives, in the current work, 1-(phenyl/4-substituted phenyl)-3-(2-furanyl/thienyl)-5-aryl-2-pyrazolines (3a⁻i, 4a⁻i) were synthesized via the cyclization of the chalcones (1, 2) with suitable phenylhydrazine hydrochloride derivatives. All these compounds were investigated for their neuroprotective effects using an in vitro 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neurotoxicity model of PD in the rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) Adh cell line. In addition, some different pharmacokinetic parameters of all compounds were in silico predicted by the QikProp module of Schrödinger's Maestro molecular modeling package. 4-Methylsulfonylphenyl substituted compounds 3h (20%) and 4h (23%) were determined as the most promising neuroprotective agents related to their inductive roles in cell viability when compared with the 6-OHDA-positive control group (43% and 42%, respectively). Moreover, in silico pharmacokinetic results indicated that all compounds were within the acceptable range intended for human use. According to both in vitro and in silico studies, compounds 3h and 4h draw attention as potential orally bioavailable therapeutic drug candidates against neurodegeneration in PD.

Dopaminergic neurons show increased low-molecular-mass protein 7 activity induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in vitro and in vivo

Background

Abnormal expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) is increased in dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Low-molecular-mass protein 7 (β5i) is a proteolytic subunit of the immunoproteasome that regulates protein degradation and the MHC pathway in immune cells.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the role of β5i in DA neurons using a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) model in vitro and vivo.

Results

We showed that 6-OHDA upregulated β5i expression in DA neurons in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Inhibition and downregulation of β5i induced the expression of glucose-regulated protein (Bip) and exacerbated 6-OHDA neurotoxicity in DA neurons. The inhibition of β5i further promoted the activation of Caspase 3-related pathways induced by 6-OHDA. β5i also activated transporter associated with antigen processing 1 (TAP1) and promoted MHC-I expression on DA neurons.

Conclusion

Taken together, our data suggest that β5i is activated in DA neurons under 6-OHDA treatment and may play a neuroprotective role in PD.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40035-018-0125-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Alteration of nociceptive integration in the spinal cord of a rat model of Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

Pain is a major non motor symptom that contributes to impaired quality of life in PD. However, its mechanism is unknown.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

We sought to identify the pain phenotypes and parallel changes in spinal integration of peripheral stimuli in a rat model of PD induced by lesions of SN dopamine neurons, using behavioral plantar and von Frey tests as well as electrophysiology of the dorsal horn.

RESULTS

We show that dopamine depletion by 6-OHDA induced hypersensitivity to mechanical and thermal stimuli. These abnormal behaviors were paralleled by increased neuronal responses and hyperexcitability of wide dynamic range neurons of lamina V of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in response to electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve in the 6-OHDA model as compared to sham rats.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide evidence for alteration of nociceptive integration in the spinal dorsal horn neurons in 6-OHDA rats that can reflect changes in pain behavior. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Ineffectiveness of saxagliptin as a neuroprotective drug in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether the drug saxagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor which is utilized for the treatment of Diabetes Mellitus, has neuroprotective effects in the animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in rats.

METHODS

Male Wistar rats (weighing 280-300 g) received a bilateral infusion of 6-OHDA in the substantia nigra. Twenty-four hours later, they were treated with saxagliptin (1 mg/kg, p.o) once daily, for 21 days. The motor function was evaluated using the open field and rotarod (RT) tests. In addition, cognition was assessed with the novel object recognition test (ORT). After the evaluation of the behavioural tests, the animals were transcardially perfused to perform immunohistochemistry staining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc).

KEY FINDINGS

Saxagliptin impaired the memory of animals in the sham group.

CONCLUSIONS

Saxagliptin treatment did not exhibit neuroprotection and it did not improve the cognitive and motor deficits in the 6-OHDA model of PD. Interestingly, when saxagliptin was administered to the sham animals, a cognitive decline was observed. Therefore, this drug should be investigated as a possible treatment for PTSD.

Extracellular Zn2+ Influx into Nigral Dopaminergic Neurons Plays a Key Role for Pathogenesis of 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Parkinson's Disease in Rats

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disease characterized by a selective loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. The exact cause of the neuronal loss remains unclear. Here, we report a unique mechanism of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration, in which extracellular Zn²⁺ influx plays a key role for PD pathogenesis induced with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in rats. 6-OHDA rapidly increased intracellular Zn²⁺ only in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of brain slices and this increase was blocked in the presence of CaEDTA, an extracellular Zn²⁺ chelator, and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), an α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptor antagonist, indicating that 6-OHDA rapidly increases extracellular Zn²⁺ influx via AMPA receptor activation in the SNpc. Extracellular Zn²⁺ concentration was decreased under in vivo SNpc perfusion with 6-OHDA and this decrease was blocked by co-perfusion with CNQX, supporting 6-OHDA-induced Zn²⁺ influx via AMPA receptor activation in the SNpc. Interestingly, both 6-OHDA-induced loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and turning behavior to apomorphine were ameliorated by co-injection of intracellular Zn²⁺ chelators, i.e., ZnAF-2DA and N,N,N',N'-Tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN). Co-injection of TPEN into the SNpc blocked 6-OHDA-induced increase in intracellular Zn²⁺ but not in intracellular Ca²⁺. These results suggest that the rapid influx of extracellular Zn²⁺ into dopaminergic neurons via AMPA receptor activation in the SNpc induces nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration, resulting in 6-OHDA-induced PD in rats.

Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Mitigates 6-OHDA-Induced Behavioral Impairments in Parkinsonian Rats

In the present study, the effectiveness of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) was evaluated by behavioral tests in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) hemi-parkinsonian (PD) rats. Pharmacokinetic measurements of GIP were carried out at the same dose studied behaviorally, as well as at a lower dose used previously. GIP was delivered by subcutaneous administration (s.c.) using implanted ALZET micro-osmotic pumps. After two days of pre-treatment, male Sprague Dawley rats received a single unilateral injection of 6-OHDA into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). The neuroprotective effects of GIP were evaluated by apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations, as well as by locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors in open-field tests. Concentrations of human active and total GIP were measured in plasma during a five-day treatment period by ELISA and were found to be within a clinically translatable range. GIP pretreatment reduced behavioral abnormalities induced by the unilateral nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) lesion produced by 6-OHDA, and thus may be a novel target for PD therapeutic development.

Lateral but not Medial Hypothalamic AMPK Activation Occurs at the Hypoglycemic Nadir in Insulin-injected Male Rats: Impact of Caudal Dorsomedial Hindbrain Catecholamine Signaling

The hypothalamic energy sensor adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important regulator of counter-regulatory responses to hypoglycemia, responds to pharmacological manipulation of hindbrain AMPK activity. Dorsomedial hindbrain A2 noradrenergic neurons express hypoglycemia-sensitive metabolo-sensory biomarkers, including AMPK. Here, adult male rats were pretreated by intra-caudal fourth ventricular administration of the selective neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to determine if catecholamine signaling from the aforesaid site governs hypothalamic AMPK activation during insulin-induced hypoglycemia (IIH). Micropunched arcuate (ARH), ventromedial (VMH), paraventricular (PVH), dorsomedial (DMH) nuclei and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) tissues were obtained at the neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin-induced hypoglycemic nadir, coincident with A2 AMPK activation, for Western blot analysis of AMPK, phospho-AMPK (pAMPK), and relevant metabolic neuropeptides. ARH, VMH, LHA, and DMH norepinephrine levels were altered according to insulin dose; 6-OHDA-mediated reversal of these responses was site-specific. IIH elevated LHA and reduced VMH pAMPK protein, profiles that were respectively unchanged or increased by 6-OHDA. PVH and ARH pAMPK was resistant to IIH, but augmented in ARH of neurotoxin- plus insulin-treated rats. ARH neuropeptide Y (NPY) and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) proteins were correspondingly increased or refractory to IIH; 6-OHDA pretreatment normalized NPY and elevated POMC expression after insulin injection. Results demonstrate site-specific bi-directional adjustments in hypothalamic AMPK reactivity to hypoglycemia. Intensification of ARH/VMH pAMPK by 6-OHDA implies dorsomedial hindbrain improvement of energy balance in those sites during IIH. Neurotoxin-mediated augmentation versus suppression of basal catabolic (ARH POMC/VMH steroidogenic factor-1) or IIH-associated anabolic (ARH NPY) neuropeptide profiles, respectively, may involve local AMPK-dependent against independent mechanisms.

Altered Volatile Organic Compound Profile in Transgenic Rats Bearing A53T Mutation of Human α-Synuclein: Comparison with Dopaminergic and Serotonergic Denervation

Early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) is of great importance due its progressive phenotype. Neuroprotective drugs could potentially slow down disease progression if used at early stages. Previously, we have reported an altered content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath of rats following a 50% reduction in striatal dopamine (DA) content induced by 6-hydroxydopamine. We now report on the difference in the breath-print and content of VOCs between rats with mild and severe lesions of DA neurons, serotonergic neuronal lesions, and transgenic (Tg) rats carrying the PD-producing A53T mutation of the SNCA (α-synuclein) gene. The Tg rats had an increased content of 3-octen-1-ol and 4-chloro-3-methyl phenol in blood, while in brain tissue, hexanal, hexanol, and 2,3-octanedione were present in controls but absent in Tg rats. Levels of 1-heptyl-2-methyl cyclopropane were increased in brain tissue of Tg rats. The data confirm the potential of breath analysis for detection of human idiosyncratic as well as autosomal dominant PD.

Pirouetting pigs: A large non-primate animal model based on unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesioning of the nigrostriatal pathway

INTRODUCTION

The rotating 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat model has long been important when developing new treatment strategies for Parkinson's disease (PD). Similar non-human primate models have been developed for translational research purposes as large animal models are required by regulatory bodies as an intermediate "phase 0" trial step. However, experimental research in non-human primates encounters several economical and regulatory issues, which may be avoided by the alternative use of pigs as a large animal model for experimental brain research.

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of this study was to examine if unilateral injections of 6-OHDA into the Göttingen minipig nigrostriatal pathway would lead to dopaminergic imbalance and rotational behavior similar to the 6-OHDA unilateral symptomatic model of PD created in other species. The secondary aim was to attempt to verify the rotational behavior as a parkinsonian symptom using subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) to minimize the elicited rotational pattern.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using an MRI-based stereotactic procedure, ten female Göttingen minipigs were injected unilaterally with 6-OHDA in the nigrostriatal pathway. Postoperatively, an MRI was performed, and the animals were injected with amphetamine and apomorphine and observed for rotational behavior. After a survival period of three months the brains were removed and immunohistochemically stained for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). One week before sacrifice two animals had DBS electrodes unilaterally implanted in the subthalamic nucleus and various stimulation protocols were conducted during amphetamine challenge.

RESULTS

As expected most animals rotated towards the side of the lesion when given amphetamine (3.5-4.0 mg/kg), whereas the predicted opposite response to apomorphine were much harder to reproduce. T1- and T2-weighted postoperative MRI could demonstrate the size and the location of the 6-OHDA injection. Postmortem TH-staining of the final two animals receiving a medial and a lateral injection of 25 μL of 6-OHDA (8 μg/μL, injection rate 5 μL/min) into the diencephalic nigrostriatal pathway showed a prominent unilateral decrease in TH-staining of the substantia nigra pars compacta, the ventral tegmental area and the nigrostriatal pathway on the lesioned side. These two animals displayed spontaneous rotational behavior toward the lesioned side for the first 2-3 days postoperatively, and this behavior could later on be reelicited by amphetamine and attenuated by ipsilateral STN-DBS.

CONCLUSION

Female Göttingen minipigs are susceptible to unilateral dopaminergic degeneration when properly injected unilaterally with sufficient amounts of 6-OHDA in the nigrostriatal pathway. The location of the 6-OHDA injections and thus the accuracy of the employed stereotaxy can be verified in vivo using MRI postoperatively. The injected minipigs display unilateral parkinsonism with a well-defined rotational response to amphetamine that may be ameliated by STN-DBS performed on the lesioned side. The response to apomorphine was, however, not consistent, illustrating that further work on this promising non-primate large animal model is needed, before it is fully similar to the established 6-OHDA models in other species.

Voluntary Physical Exercise Improves Subsequent Motor and Cognitive Impairments in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is typically characterized by impairment of motor function. Gait disturbances similar to those observed in patients with PD can be observed in animals after injection of neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to induce unilateral nigrostriatal dopamine depletion. Exercise has been shown to be a promising non-pharmacological approach to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disease. Methods: In this study, we investigated the long-term effects of voluntary running wheel exercise on gait phenotypes, depression, cognitive, rotational behaviors as well as histology in a 6-OHDA-lesioned rat model of PD. Results: We observed that, when compared with the non-exercise controls, five-week voluntary exercise alleviated and postponed the 6-OHDA-induced gait deficits, including a significantly improved walking speed, step/stride length, base of support and print length. In addition, we found that the non-motor functions, such as novel object recognition and forced swim test, were also ameliorated by voluntary exercise. However, the rotational behavior of the exercise group did not show significant differences when compared with the non-exercise group. Conclusions: We first analyzed the detailed spatiotemporal changes of gait pattern to investigate the potential benefits after long-term exercise in the rat model of PD, which could be useful for future objective assessment of locomotor function in PD or other neurological animal models. Furthermore, these results suggest that short-term voluntary exercise is sufficient to alleviate cognition deficits and depressive behavior in 6-OHDA lesioned rats and long-term treatment reduces the progression of motor symptoms and elevates tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), bone marrow tyrosine kinase in chromosome X (BMX) protein expression level without affecting dopaminergic (DA) neuron loss in this PD rat model.

Combination of CDNF and Deep Brain Stimulation Decreases Neurological Deficits in Late-stage Model Parkinson's Disease

Several neurotrophic factors (NTF) are shown to be neuroprotective and neurorestorative in pre-clinical animal models for Parkinson's disease (PD), particularly in models where striatal dopamine neuron innervation partially exists. The results of clinical trials on late-stage patients have been modest. Subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) is a proven treatment for a selected group of advanced PD patients. The cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) is a promising therapeutic protein, but its effects in animal models of late-stage PD have remained under-researched. The interactions of NTF and STN DBS treatments have not been studied before. We found that a nigral CDNF protein alone had only a marginal effect on the behavioral deficits in a late-stage hemiparkinsonian rat model (6-OHDA MFB). However, CDNF improved the effect of acute STN DBS on front limb use asymmetry at 2 and 3 weeks after CDNF injection. STN lesion-modeling chronic stimulation-had an additive effect in reducing front limb use in the cylinder test and apomorphine-induced rotation. The combination of CDNF and acute STN DBS had a favorable effect on striatal tyrosine hydroxylase. This study presents a novel additive beneficial effect of NTF and STN DBS, which might be explained by the interaction of DBS-induced endogenous NTFs and exogenously injected CDNF. SNpc can be reached via similar trajectories used in clinical STN DBS, and this interaction is an important area for future studies.

Time-course behavioral features are correlated with Parkinson's disease‑associated pathology in a 6-hydroxydopamine hemiparkinsonian rat model

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. For decades, the unilateral 6‑hydroxydopamine (6‑OHDA) rat model has been employed to investigate the pathogenesis and therapy of PD. However, the behavior and associated pathological features of the model long term have not previously been described dynamically. In the present study, the unilateral model was established by 6‑OHDA injection in the striatum. The PD rat model was determined 2 weeks following surgery, according to the apomorphine (APO)‑induced rotations, cylinder, rotarod and open field tests. TH‑positive neurons and fibers in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and striatum, respectively, and glial activation in the SNpc, determined by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression for astrocytes and CD11b (Mac1) expression for microglia, were detected by immunohistological staining. Correlation analysis was performed to understand the association between PD‑associated behavior and pathology. The behavioral impairment progressively deteriorated during the process of experiment. In addition, the decrease in TH‑positive neurons was associated with an increase in GFAP‑ and Mac1‑positive cells in the SNpc. Linear regression analysis indicated the association between behavioral and pathological changes. The results of the present study indicate that the APO‑induced rotation, cylinder and rotarod tests are all sensitive and reliable strategies to predict the loss of TH+ neurons. These results provide a potential intervention time‑point and a comprehensive evaluation index system for assessment of PD therapeutic strategies using the hemiparkinsonian rat.

Comparison of Adaptive Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Sulforaphane and its Interconversion Product Erucin in in Vitro and in Vivo Models of Parkinson's Disease

Several studies suggest that an increase of glutathione (GSH) through activation of the transcriptional nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) in the dopaminergic neurons may be a promising neuroprotective strategy in Parkinson's disease (PD). Among Nrf2 activators, isothiocyanate sulforaphane (SFN), derived from precursor glucosinolate present in Brassica vegetables, has gained attention as a potential neuroprotective compound. Bioavailability studies also suggest the contribution of SFN metabolites, including erucin (ERN), to the neuroprotective effects of SFN. Therefore, we compared the in vitro neuroprotective effects of SFN and ERN at the same dose level (5 μM) and oxidative treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in SH-SY5Y cells. The pretreatment of SH-SY5Y cells with SFN recorded a higher (p < 0.05) active nuclear Nrf2 protein (12.0 ± 0.4 vs 8.0 ± 0.2 fold increase), mRNA Nrf2 (2.0 ± 0.3 vs 1.4 ± 0.1 fold increase), total GSH (384.0 ± 9.0 vs 256.0 ± 8.0 μM) levels, and resistance to neuronal apoptosis elicited by 6-OHDA compared to ERN. By contrast, the simultaneous treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with either SFN or ERN and 6-OHDA recorded similar neuroprotective effects with both the isothiocyanates (Nrf2 protein 2.2 ± 0.2 vs 2.1 ± 0.1 and mRNA Nrf2 2.1 ± 0.3 vs 1.9 ± 0.2 fold increase; total GSH 384.0 ± 4.8 vs 352.0 ± 6.4 μM). Finally, in vitro finding was confirmed in a 6-OHDA-PD mouse model. The metabolic oxidation of ERN to SFN could account for their similar neuroprotective effects in vivo, raising the possibility of using vegetables containing a precursor of ERN for systemic antioxidant benefits in a similar manner to SFN.

Degree of dopaminergic degeneration measured by 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT/CT imaging

To prevent and treat Parkinson’s disease in its early stages, it is essential to be able to detect the degree of early dopaminergic neuron degeneration. Dopamine transporters (DAT) in the striatum regulate synaptic dopamine levels, and striatal ^99mTc-TRODAT-1 single-photon emission computed tomography (-SPECT) imaging is a marker for presynaptic neuronal degeneration. However, the association between the degree of dopaminergic degeneration and in vivo^99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT imaging is unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the association between the degree of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced dopaminergic degeneration and DAT imaging using ^99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT in rats. Different degrees of nigrostriatal dopamine depletion were generated by injecting different doses of 6-OHDA (2, 4, and 8 μg) into the right medial forebrain bundle. The degree of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuron degeneration was assessed by rotational behavior and immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that striatal ^99mTc-TRODAT-1 binding was significantly diminished both in the ipsilateral and the contralateral sides in the 4 and 8 μg 6-OHDA groups, and that DAT ^99mTc-TRODAT-1 binding in the ipsilateral striatum showed a high correlation to apomorphine-induced rotations at 8 weeks post-lesion (r = –0.887, P < 0.01). There were significant correlations between DAT ^99mTc-TRODAT-1 binding in the ipsilateral striatum and the amount of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons in the ipsilateral substantia nigra in the 2, 4, and 8 μg 6-OHDA groups at 8 weeks post-lesion (r = 0.899, P < 0.01). These findings indicate that striatal DAT imaging using ^99mTc-TRODAT-1 is a useful technique for evaluating the severity of dopaminergic degeneration.

Differences in brain pathological changes between rotenone and 6-hydroxydopamine Parkinson's disease models

Rotenone and 6-hydroxydopamine are two drugs commonly used to generate Parkinson's disease animal models. They not only achieve degenerative changes of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, but also satisfy the requirements for iron deposition. However, few studies have compared the characteristics of these two models by magnetic resonance imaging. In this study, rat models of Parkinson's disease were generated by injection of 3 μg rotenone or 10 μg 6-hydroxydopamine into the right substantia nigra. At 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after injection, coronal whole-brain T2-weighted imaging, transverse whole-brain T2-weighted imaging, and coronal diffusion tensor weighted imaging were conducted to measure fractional anisotropy and T2^* values at the injury site. The fractional anisotropy value on the right side of the substantia nigra was remarkably lower at 6 weeks than at other time points in the rotenone group. In the 6-hydroxydopamine group, the fractional anisotropy value was decreased, but T2^* values were increased on the right side of the substantia nigra at 1 week. Our findings confirm that the 6-hydroxydopamine-induced model is suitable for studying dopaminergic neurons over short periods, while the rotenone-induced model may be appropriate for studying the pathological and physiological processes of Parkinson's disease over long periods.

6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) Oxidative Stress Assay for Observing Dopaminergic Neuron Loss in Caenorhabditis elegans

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful genetic model that can be used to investigate neuronal death. Research using C. elegans has been crucial to characterize cell death programmes that are conserved in mammals. Many neuronal signaling components, such as those mediating dopaminergic neurotransmission, are preserved as well. Dopaminergic neurons are progressively lost in Parkinson's disease and an important risk factor to develop this disease appears to be oxidative stress, the increased occurrence of highly reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration is mimicked in animal models by treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), a dopamine analog, which is specifically taken up into dopaminergic neurons. After exposing C. elegans to 6-OHDA, the loss of fluorescently labeled dopaminergic neurons can be easily monitored. An organisms' sensitivity to oxidative stress is thought to be influenced by basal levels of intrinsic oxidative stress and the ability to counteract oxidative stress and oxidative stress-induced damage. The C. elegans '6-OHDA model' led to the discovery of novel genes that are required to protect dopaminergic neurons and it has helped to determine the effects of conserved cell death and cell engulfment pathways in dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Here, we describe a simple protocol that allows for the easy detection of dopaminergic neuron loss after 6-OHDA treatment in C. elegans.

Compressional-Puffing Pretreatment Enhances Neuroprotective Effects of Fucoidans from the Brown Seaweed Sargassum hemiphyllum on 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Apoptosis in SH-SY5Y Cells

In this study, a compressional-puffing process (CPP) was used to pretreat Sargassum hemiphyllum (SH) and then fucoidan was extracted from SH by hot water. Three fucoidan extracts, namely SH1 (puffing at 0 kg/cm²); SH2 (puffing at 1.7 kg/cm²); and SH3 (puffing at 10.0 kg/cm²) were obtained, and their compositions and biological activities were evaluated. The results indicate that CPP increased the extraction yield, total sugar content, and molar ratios of sulfate/fucose of fucoidan and decreased molecular weight and impurities of fucoidan. The SH1-SH3 extracts exhibited characteristics of fucoidan as demonstrated by the analyses of composition, FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and molecular weight. All SH1-SH3 extracts showed antioxidant activities. The SH1-SH3 extracts protected SH-SY5Y cells from 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced apoptosis as illustrated by cell cycle distribution, cytochrome c release, activation of caspase-8, -9, and -3, and DNA fragmentation analyses. Additional experiments revealed that phosphorylation of Akt is involved in the opposing effects of SH1-SH3 on 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity. SH3 exhibited a relatively high extraction yield, the lowest levels of impurities, and was the most effective at reversing the 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity of SH-SY5Y cells among SH1-SH3, which taken together indicate that it may have potential as a candidate therapeutic agent for the preventive therapy of neurodegenerative diseases.

The Kv7/KCNQ channel blocker XE991 protects nigral dopaminergic neurons in the 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease

The excitability of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) that supply the striatum with dopamine (DA) determines the function of the nigrostriatal system for motor coordination. We previously showed that 4-pyridinylmethyl-9(10H)-anthracenone (XE991), a specific blocker of Kv7/KCNQ channels, enhanced the excitability of nigral DA neurons and resulted in attenuation of haloperidol-induced catalepsy in a Parkinson's disease (PD) rat model. However, whether XE991 exhibits neuroprotective effects towards DA neuron degeneration remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Kv7/KCNQ channel blocker, XE991, on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced nigral DA neuron degeneration and motor dysfunction. Using immunofluorescence staining and western blotting, we showed that intracerebroventricular administration of XE991 prevented the 6-OHDA-induced decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons and TH protein expression in the SNc. High-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) also revealed that XE991 partly restored the levels of DA and its metabolites in the striatum. Moreover, XE991 decreased apomorphine (APO)-induced contralateral rotations, enhanced balance and coordination, and attenuated muscle rigidity in 6-OHDA-treated rats. Importantly, all neuroprotective effects by XE991 were abolished by co-application of Kv7/KCNQ channel opener retigabine and XE991. Thus, Kv7/KCNQ channel inhibition by XE991 can exert neuroprotective effects against 6-OHDA-induced degeneration of the nigrostriatal DA system and motor dysfunction.

CpG demethylation in the neurotoxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium might mediate transcriptional up-regulation of α-synuclein in SH-SY5Y cells

The accumulation of α-synuclein is the primary pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). In PD patients, CpG demethylation of intron-1 has been reported to be associated with α-synuclein up-regulation. Environmental factor, for example neurotoxin, is a major etiological risk factor in PD pathogenesis. However, the role of CpG methylation in neurotoxin-induced PD has not been addressed completely yet. To explore CpG methylation associating with α-synuclein transcription and its underlying mechanisms in the neurotoxin-induced PD pathology, human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were treated with neurotoxins 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+). Results showed that MPP+ induced demethylation of the whole length of the CpG island around SNCA promoter, and both 6-OHDA and MPP+ resulted in up-regulation of SNCA transcription. The CpG demethylation around promoter resulted in up-regulation of SNCA transcriptional activity. In addition, 6-OHDA and MPP+ induced the reduced levels of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 3a and DNMT3b but not DNMT1. These data suggested that CpG demethylation was induced by MPP+ and might mediate up-regulation of SNCA transcription in neurotoxin-induced PD. And down-regulation of both DNMT3a and DNMT3b, but not DNMT1, might contribute to CpG demethylation of the SNCA promoter.

Modafinil Improves Catalepsy in a Rat 6-Hydroxydopamine Model of Parkinson's Disease; Possible Involvement of Dopaminergic Neurotransmission

Purpose: Modafinil is a vigilance-enhancing drug licensed for narcolepsy. The use of modafinil leads to various neuromodulatory effects with very low abuse potential. A body of evidence suggested that modafinil may have anti-parkinsonian effects. This study was designed to evaluate whether modafinil could improve motor dysfunction in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced rat model of Parkinson’s disease.

Methods: Male Wistar rats (180-220 g, n= 98) were used in this study. Parkinsonism was induced by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (10 μg/2μl in 0.2 % ascorbic acid-saline) into the right striatum. Parkinsonian rats received intraperitoneal (ip) injections of modafinil (50, 75, and 100 mg/kg) and catalepsy-like immobility was assessed by the bar test (BT). Furthermore, involvement of dopamine D₁ and D₂ receptors in modafinil’s anti-parkinsonian effects was studied. For this purpose, parkinsonian animals were pretreated with SCH23390 and raclopride (the dopamine D₁ and D₂ receptor anatgonists, respectively) or SCH23390 + raclopride, and then assessed by the BT.

Results: Modafinil (100 mg/kg) showed anti-cataleptic effects in the BT. Notably, the effect of modafinil in the BT was reversed in parkinsonian rats pretreated with raclopride (1.25 mg/kg) and/or SCH23390 + raclopride (0.75 and 1.25 mg/kg, respectively), but not in those pretreated with SCH23390 (0.75 mg/kg).

Conclusion: Acute administration of modafinil improves 6-OHDA-induced motor impairment possibly through activation of dopamine D₂ receptors.

Structure Function Revisited: A Simple Tool for Complex Analysis of Neuronal Activity

Neural systems are characterized by their complex dynamics, reflected on signals produced by neurons and neuronal ensembles. This complexity exhibits specific features in health, disease and in different states of consciousness, and can be considered a hallmark of certain neurologic and neuropsychiatric conditions. To measure complexity from neurophysiologic signals, a number of different nonlinear tools of analysis are available. However, not all of these tools are easy to implement, or able to handle clinical data, often obtained in less than ideal conditions in comparison to laboratory or simulated data. Recently, the temporal structure function emerged as a powerful tool for the analysis of complex properties of neuronal activity. The temporal structure function is efficient computationally and it can be robustly estimated from short signals. However, the application of this tool to neuronal data is relatively new, making the interpretation of results difficult. In this methods paper we describe a step by step algorithm for the calculation and characterization of the structure function. We apply this algorithm to oscillatory, random and complex toy signals, and test the effect of added noise. We show that: (1) the mean slope of the structure function is zero in the case of random signals; (2) oscillations are reflected on the shape of the structure function, but they don't modify the mean slope if complex correlations are absent; (3) nonlinear systems produce structure functions with nonzero slope up to a critical point, where the function turns into a plateau. Two characteristic numbers can be extracted to quantify the behavior of the structure function in the case of nonlinear systems: (1). the point where the plateau starts (the inflection point, where the slope change occurs), and (2). the height of the plateau. While the inflection point is related to the scale where correlations weaken, the height of the plateau is related to the noise present in the signal. To exemplify our method we calculate structure functions of neuronal recordings from the basal ganglia of parkinsonian and healthy rats, and draw guidelines for their interpretation in light of the results obtained from our toy signals.

Short- and long-term effects induced by repeated 6-OHDA intraventricular administration: A new progressive and bilateral rodent model of Parkinson's disease

The pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), and the resulting striatal dopamine deficiency, which are responsible for the classic motor features. Although a diagnosis of PD relies on the clinical effects of dopamine deficiency, this disease is also associated with other neurotransmitter deficits that are recognized as causing various motor and non-motor symptoms. However, the cause of dopaminergic nigral neurodegeneration in PD and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. While animal models are considered valuable tools with which to investigate dopaminergic cell vulnerability, rodent models usually fail to mimic the neurodegeneration progression that occurs in human PD. To find a convenient rat model for studying the progression of dopaminergic cell degeneration and motor signs, we have developed a progressive rodent model using a repeated daily, intraventricular administration of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (100µg/day) in awakened rats for 1 to 10 consecutive days. The short- (6-day) and long-term (32-day) progression of motor alterations was studied. This model leads to a bilateral and progressive increase in catalepsy (evident from the 3rd infusion in the short-term groups (p<0.01) and from the 7th infusion in the long-term groups (p<0.01), which was associated with a progressive nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficit. All together this makes the new model an interesting experimental tool to investigate the mechanisms involved in the progression of dopaminergic neurodegeneration.

Post 6-OHDA lesion exposure to stress affects neurotrophic factor expression and aggravates motor impairment

Chronic exposure to stress amplifies locomotor deficits and exacerbates dopamine neuron loss in an animal model for Parkinson's disease. The release of neurotrophic factors such as glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) following neuronal injury attenuates exacerbated degeneration of these neurons. In this study, the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was injected unilaterally into the medial forebrain bundle of male Sprague Dawley rats. A subset of these rats was subjected to post-lesion restraint stress after which the effect of exposure to stress on locomotor activity (forelimb akinesia test), neurotrophic factor (GDNF and NT-3) and corticosterone concentration was assessed. Exposure to post-lesion stress resulted in increased preference to use the unimpaired forelimb (forelimb ipsilateral to the lesioned hemisphere) in the forelimb akinesia test. The expected increase in both GDNF and NT-3 concentration following injury was not present in the stressed animals. However, both the non-stressed and stressed lesioned groups had decreased neurotrophic factor concentration at one and two weeks post lesion. This decrease was exaggerated in the stressed rats. The decrease in neurotrophic factor concentration was accompanied by an increase in corticosterone concentration in the stressed rats. These findings demonstrate that exposure to post-6-OHDA lesion stress exaggerates dopamine neurodegeneration and enhance motor impairment. This suggests that conditions that result in a hyper-activated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis such as depression which is concomitant to a Parkinson's disease diagnosis may be responsible for enhanced dopamine depletion by attenuating neurotrophic factor concentration elevation in the nigrostriatal pathway following neuronal injury.

Stress and corticosterone alter synaptic plasticity in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

As a major influence on neuronal function and plasticity, chronic stress can affect the progression and symptoms of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Here we investigated the influence of unilateral dopamine depletion and stress on dopamine-related hallmarks of stress response and neuronal plasticity in a rat model of PD. Animals received either restraint stress or a combination of adrenalectomy and corticosterone (CORT) supplementation to clamp circulating glucocorticoid levels for three weeks prior to unilateral nigrostriatal dopamine depletion. Rats were tested in skilled and non-skilled motor function up to three weeks post-lesion. Midbrain mRNA expression assessments included markers of dopamine function and neuroplasticity, such as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), synaptophysin (SYN), calcyon, and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Along with impaired motor performance, stress and clamped CORT partially preserved TH expression in both substantia nigra (SN) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), but differentially modulated the expression of SYN, calcyon, and GR mRNA in midbrain and cortical areas. Stress reduced synaptophysin mRNA expression in SN/VTA, and elevated calcyon mRNA optical density in both non-lesion and lesion hemispheres. Stress and CORT increased GR mRNA in the non-lesion SN/VTA, while in the lesion hemisphere GR mRNA was only elevated by CORT. In the motor cortex and striatum, however, GR was higher in both hemispheres under both experimental conditions. These findings suggest that stress and stress hormones differentially affect dopaminergic function and neuroplasticity in a rat model of PD. The findings suggest a role for stress in motor and non-motor symptoms of PD and stress response.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles could ameliorate behavioral and neurochemical impairments in 6-hydroxydopamine induced Parkinson's disease in rats

BACKGROUND

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂NPs) showed promising effects in neurodegenerative diseases including some animal models of Parkinsonism. However, the implication of CeO₂NPs in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced Parkinsonism remains to be investigated.

AIM

This study was designed to assess whether CeO₂NPs treatment could alleviate neurobehavioral and neurobiochemical deficits in 6-OHDA induced neurotoxicity in rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

50 rats received left intrastriatal (IS) injection of either saline (control, n = 10) or 6-OHDA (n = 40). At the third week post-lesion, motor dysfunction was verified using neurobehavioral tests. Then diseased rats received intraperitoneal injection of 0.1, 0.5 or 1 mg/kg of CeO₂NPs or vehicle (10 rats each) for 3 weeks. Rats were subjected to behavioral assessments and then sacrificed for biochemical analyses of the striatum. Striatal dopamine levels, oxidative stress markers including total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and caspase 3 activity as an apoptotic marker were assessed.

RESULTS

Different doses of CeO₂NPs variably improved motor dysfunctions induced by 6-OHDA injection in open field, Rota Rod and stepping tests. In addition, the neurobiochemical derangements were almost reversed by the 0.5 mg/kg dose of CeO₂NPs, while 0.1 mg/kg dose was not sufficient to alter biochemical measurements in the striatum. Administration of 1 mg/kg of CeO₂NPs partially ameliorated striatal dopamine and decreased apoptosis without significant effect on oxidative stress.

CONCLUSION

The present study showed a putative therapeutic role of CeO2NPs in the treatment of 6-OHDA-induced Parkinsonian rats, and suggested their antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects as possible mechanisms for elevated striatal dopamine level and improved motor performance.

Spine Enlargement of Pyramidal Tract-Type Neurons in the Motor Cortex of a Rat Model of Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia

Growing evidence suggests that abnormal synaptic plasticity of cortical neurons underlies levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Spine morphology reflects synaptic plasticity resulting from glutamatergic transmission. We previously reported that enlargement of the dendritic spines of intratelencephalic-type (IT) neurons in the primary motor cortex (M1) is linked to the development of LID. However, the relevance of another M1 neuron type, pyramidal-tract (PT) neurons, to LID remains unknown. We examined the morphological changes of the dendritic spines of M1 PT neurons in a rat model of LID. We quantified the density and size of these spines in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats (a model of PD), 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats chronically treated with levodopa (a model of LID), and control rats chronically treated with levodopa. Dopaminergic denervation alone had no effect on spine density and head area. However, the LID model showed significant increases in the density and spine head area and the development of dyskinetic movements. In contrast, levodopa treatment of normal rats increased spine density alone. Although, chronic levodopa treatment increases PT neuron spine density, with or without dopaminergic denervation, enlargement of PT neuron spines appears to be a specific feature of LID. This finding suggests that PT neurons become hyperexcited in the LID model, in parallel with the enlargement of spines. Thus, spine enlargement, and the resultant hyperexcitability of PT pyramidal neurons, in the M1 cortex might contribute to abnormal cortical neuronal plasticity in LID.

Blockade of RyRs in the ER Attenuates 6-OHDA-Induced Calcium Overload, Cellular Hypo-Excitability and Apoptosis in Dopaminergic Neurons

Calcium (Ca²⁺) dyshomeostasis induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an important molecular mechanism of selective dopaminergic (DA) neuron loss in Parkinson's disease (PD). Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors (IP₃Rs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs), which are located on the ER surface, are the main endogenous Ca²⁺ release channels and play crucial roles in regulating Ca²⁺ homeostasis. However, the roles of these endogenous Ca²⁺ release channels in PD and their effects on the function and survival of DA neurons remain unknown. In this study, using a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced in vitro PD model (SN4741 Cell line), we found that 6-OHDA significantly increased cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ levels ([Ca2+]_i), which was attenuated by pretreatment with 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA; an ER stress inhibitor) or ryanodine (a RyRs blocker). In addition, in acute midbrain slices of male Sprague-Dawley rats, we found that 6-OHDA reduced the spike number and rheobase of DA neurons, which were also reversed by pretreatment with 4-PBA and ryanodine. TUNEL staining and MTT assays also showed that 4-PBA and ryanodine obviously alleviated 6-OHDA-induced cell apoptosis and devitalization. Interestingly, a IP₃Rs blocker had little effect on the above 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in DA neurons. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence of the different roles of IP₃Rs and RyRs in the regulation of endogenous Ca²⁺ homeostasis, neuronal excitability, and viability in DA neurons, and suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for PD by inhibiting the RyRs Ca²⁺ channels in the ER.

Differential behavioral outcomes following neonatal versus fetal human retinal pigment epithelial cell striatal implants in parkinsonian rats

Following the failure of a Phase II clinical study evaluating human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cell implants as a potential treatment option for Parkinson's disease, speculation has centered on implant function and survival as possible contributors to the therapeutic outcomes. We recently reported that neonatal hRPE cells, similar to hRPE cells used in the Phase II clinical study, produced short-lived in vitro and limited in vivo trophic factors, which supports that assumption. We hypothesize that the switch from fetal to neonatal hRPE cells, between the Phase I and the Phase II clinical trial may be partly responsible for the later negative outcomes. To investigate this hypothesis, we used two neonatal hRPE cell lots, prepared in a similar manner to neonatal hRPE cells used in the Phase II clinical study, and compared them to previously evaluated fetal hRPE cells for behavioral changes following unilateral striatal implantation in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. The results showed that only fetal, not neonatal, hRPE cell implants, were able to improve behavioral outcomes following striatal implantation in the lesioned rats. These data suggest that fetal hRPE cells may be preferential to neonatal hRPE cells in restoring behavioral deficits.

Effects of MgSO4 and magnesium transporters on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced SH-SY5Y cells

AIMS

The magnesium ion (Mg²⁺) fulfils several important functions for living organisms. We investigated whether there is a protective effect of MgSO₄ on 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells, and gained insight into the effects of cellular mRNA and protein expression of the magnesium transporters SLC41A1, NIPA1, MagT1 and CNNM2 on 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity.

MAIN METHODS

The effect of MgSO₄ on cell viability in 6-OHDA-treated SH-SY5Y cells was measured using a CCK-8 kit. The mRNA and protein expression of SLC41A1, NIPA1, MagT1, and CNNM2 were detected using reverse transcription-qPCR and Western blot.

KEY FINDINGS

The results showed that SH-SY5Y cells treated with 25-50μM 6-OHDA for 24h significantly decreased cell viability, while if pre-incubated with 0.125-1mM MgSO₄ for 1h before adding 6-OHDA it partially prevented the cell damage. There was a significant decrease in cellular mRNA and protein expression of SLC41A1, NIPA1, MagT1 and CNNM2 in 6-OHDA treated SH-SY5Y cells, and MgSO₄ can reverse its decline.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our results suggest that MgSO₄ may protect SH-SY5Y cells against 6-OHDA-induced cell injury and that gene expression of SLC41A1, NIPA1, MagT1, and CNNM2 might be involved in dopaminergic neurons.

6-Hydroxydopamine Inhibits the Hepatitis C Virus through Alkylation of Host and Viral Proteins and the Induction of Oxidative Stress

Many viruses, including the hepatitis C virus (HCV), are dependent on the host RNA silencing pathway for replication. In this study, we screened small molecule probes, previously reported to disrupt loading of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), including 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), suramin (SUR), and aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), to examine their effects on viral replication. We found that 6-OHDA inhibited HCV replication; however, 6-OHDA was a less potent inhibitor of RISC than either SUR or ATA. By generating a novel chemical probe (6-OHDA-yne), we determined that 6-OHDA covalently modifies host and virus proteins. Moreover, 6-OHDA was shown to be an alkylating agent that is capable of generating adducts with a number of enzymes involved in the oxidative stress response. Furthermore, modification of viral enzymes with 6-OHDA and 6-OHDA-yne was found to inhibit their enzymatic activity. Our findings suggest that 6-OHDA is a probe for oxidative stress as well as protein alkylation, and these properties together contribute to the antiviral effects of this compound.

Neurotoxin-Induced Catecholaminergic Loss in the Colonic Myenteric Plexus of Rhesus Monkeys

OBJECTIVE

Constipation is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although pathology of the enteric nervous system (ENS) has been associated with constipation in PD, the contribution of catecholaminergic neurodegeneration to this symptom is currently debated. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on the colonic myenteric plexus and shed light on the role of catecholaminergic innervation in gastrointestinal (GI) function.

METHODS

Proximal colon tissue from 6-OHDA-treated (n=5) and age-matched control (n=5) rhesus monkeys was immunostained and quantified using ImageJ software. All animals underwent routine daily feces monitoring to assess for constipation or other GI dysfunction.

RESULTS

Quantification of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC)-immunoreactivity (-ir) revealed significant reduction in myenteric ganglia of 6-OHDA-treated animals compared to controls (TH-ir: 87.8%, P<0.0001; AADC-ir: 61.7% P=0.0034). Analysis of pan-neuronal markers (PGP9.5, HuC/D), other neurochemical phenotypes (VIP, nNOS), PD-associated pathology proteins (α-synuclein, phosphorylated α-synuclein), glial marker GFAP and neuroinflammation and oxidative stress (HLA-DR, CD45, Nitrotyrosine) did not show significant differences. Monitoring of feces revealed frequent (>30% days) soft stool or diarrhea in 2 of the 5 6-OHDA-treated animals and 0 of the 5 control animals during the 2 months prior to necropsy, with no animals exhibiting signs of constipation.

CONCLUSION

Systemic administration of 6-OHDA to rhesus monkeys significantly reduced catecholaminergic expression in the colonic myenteric plexus without inducing constipation. These findings support the concept that ENS catecholaminergic loss is not responsible for constipation in PD.

In vitro 6-hydroxydopamine-induced toxicity in striatal, cerebrocortical and hippocampal slices is attenuated by atorvastatin and MK-801

Parkinson's disease (PD) involves the loss of striatal dopaminergic neurons, although other neurotransmitters and brain areas are also involved in its pathophysiology. In rodent models to PD it has been shown statins improve cognitive and motor deficits and attenuate inflammatory responses evoked by PD-related toxins. Statins are the drugs most prescribed to hypercholesterolemia, but neuroprotective effects have also been attributed to statins treatment in humans and in animal models. This study aimed to establish an in vitro model of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced toxicity, used as an initial screening test to identify effective drugs against neural degeneration related to PD. The putative neuroprotective effect of atorvastatin against 6-OHDA-induced toxicity in rat striatal, cerebrocortical and hippocampal slices was also evaluated. 6-OHDA (100μM) decreased cellular viability in slices obtained from rat cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum. 6-OHDA also induced an increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial dysfunction. Co-incubation of 6-OHDA with atorvastatin (10μM) or MK-801 (50μM) an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, partially attenuated the cellular damage evoked by 6-OHDA in the three brain areas. Atorvastatin partially reduced ROS production in the hippocampus and striatum and disturbances of mitochondria membrane potential in cortex and striatum. 6-OHDA-induced toxicity in vitro displays differences among the brain structures, but it is also observed in cerebrocortical and hippocampal slices, besides striatum.

Therapeutic effects of intranigral transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells in rat models of Parkinson's disease

Stem cell transplantation is a promising tool for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the therapeutic routes and mechanisms of mechanical approaches to stem cell transplantation must be explored. This study tests the therapeutic effect of transplantation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the substantia nigra (SN) of the PD rat. 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine-labeled rat MSCs were transplanted into the SN of the 6-hydroxydopamine-injected side of PD rat brains. The behavioral changes in PD rats were examined before and 4 and 8 weeks after MSC transplantation. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the SN and the striatum and the survival and differentiation of MSCs were assessed by immunohistochemical and double immunofluorescence techniques. Abnormal behavior of PD rats was significantly improved by the administration of bone marrow MSCs, and the number of TH-positive cells in the SN and the optical density of TH-positive fibers in the striatum were markedly increased. Transplanted MSCs can survive and migrate in the brain and differentiate into nestin-, neuron-specific enolase-, and GFAP-positive cells. Our findings suggest that transplantation of rat bone marrow MSCs into the SN of PD rats may provide therapeutic effects. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Alteration of colonic excitatory tachykininergic motility and enteric inflammation following dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurodegeneration

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is frequently associated with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including constipation and defecatory dysfunctions. The mechanisms underlying such disorders are still largely unknown, although the occurrence of a bowel inflammatory condition has been hypothesized. This study examined the impact of central dopaminergic degeneration, induced by intranigral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), on distal colonic excitatory tachykininergic motility in rats.

METHODS

Animals were euthanized 4 and 8 weeks after 6-OHDA injection. Tachykininergic contractions, elicited by electrical stimulation or exogenous substance P (SP), were recorded in vitro from longitudinal muscle colonic preparations. SP, tachykininergic NK1 receptor, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression, as well as the density of eosinophils and mast cells in the colonic wall, were examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Malondialdehyde (MDA, colorimetric assay), TNF, and IL-1β (ELISA assay) levels were also examined. The polarization of peritoneal macrophages was evaluated by real-time PCR.

RESULTS

In colonic preparations, electrically and SP-evoked tachykininergic contractions were increased in 6-OHDA rats. Immunohistochemistry displayed an increase in SP and GFAP levels in the myenteric plexus, as well as NK1 receptor expression in the colonic muscle layer of 6-OHDA rats. MDA, TNF, and IL-1β levels were increased also in colonic tissues from 6-OHDA rats. In 6-OHDA rats, the number of eosinophils and mast cells was increased as compared with control animals, and peritoneal macrophages polarized towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that the induction of central nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration is followed by bowel inflammation associated with increased oxidative stress, increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, activation of enteric glia and inflammatory cells, and enhancement of colonic excitatory tachykininergic motility.

6-hydroxydopamine-induced Parkinson's disease-like degeneration generates acute microgliosis and astrogliosis in the nigrostriatal system but no bioluminescence imaging-detectable alteration in adult neurogenesis

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative disorder caused by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), leading to severe impairment in motor and non-motor functions. Endogenous subventricular zone (SVZ) neural stem cells constantly give birth to new cells that might serve as a possible source for regeneration in the adult brain. However, neurodegeneration is accompanied by neuroinflammation and dopamine depletion, potentially compromising regeneration. We therefore employed in vivo imaging methods to study striatal deafferentation (N-ω-fluoropropyl-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-[(123) I]iodophenyl)nortropane single photon emission computed tomography, DaTscan(™) ) and neuroinflammation in the SN and striatum (N,N-diethyl-2-(2-(4-(2-[(18) F]fluoroethoxy)phenyl)-5,7-dimethylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl)acetamide positron emission tomography, [(18) F]DPA-714 PET) in the intranigral 6-hydroxydopamine Parkinson's disease mouse model. Additionally, we transduced cells in the SVZ with a lentivirus encoding firefly luciferase and followed migration of progenitor cells in the SVZ-olfactory bulb axis via bioluminescence imaging under disease and control conditions. We found that activation of microglia in the SN is an acute process accompanying the degeneration of dopaminergic cell bodies in the SN. Dopaminergic deafferentation of the striatum does not influence the generation of doublecortin-positive neuroblasts in the SVZ, but generates chronic astrogliosis in the nigrostriatal system.

NADPH oxidases promote apoptosis by activating ZNRF1 ubiquitin ligase in neurons treated with an exogenously applied oxidant

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in causing neuronal death in a number of neurological disorders. We recently reported that ROS serve as a signal to activate neuronal apoptosis and axonal degeneration by activating ZNRF1 (zinc- and RING-finger 1), a ubiquitin ligase that targets AKT for proteasomal degradation in neurons. In the present study, we showed that the NADPH oxidase family of molecules is required for ZNRF1 activation by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-dependent phosphorylation in response to axonal injury. We herein demonstrate that NADPH oxidases promote apoptosis by activating ZNRF1, even in neurons treated with an exogenously applied oxidant. These results suggest an important role for NADPH oxidase in the initiation/promotion of neuronal degeneration by increasing ROS in close proximity to protein machineries, including those for ZNRF1 and EGFR, thereby promoting neuronal degeneration.

PHARMACOLOGICAL REGULATION OF DIGESTION IN THE ANAUTOGENOUS FLESH FLY, Sarcophaga crassipalpis, BY SIMPLE INJECTION OF 6-HYDROXYDOPAMINE

Female anautogenous Sarcophaga flesh flies need a protein meal to start large-scale yolk polypeptides (YPs) production and oocyte maturation. Protein meal rapidly elicits a brain-dependent increase in midgut proteolytic activity. Trypsin and chymotrypsin together represent over 80% of protease activity in liver-fed flies. Abdominal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) dose-dependently prohibits this increase in proteolytic activity at translational level in a similar way as post liver feeding decapitation. Delayed injection of 6-OHDA later than 6 h post liver meal has no effect. In flesh flies, chemical decapitation by 6-OHDA, by interrupting the brain-gut dopaminergic signaling, can be used as tool for the controlled inhibition of midgut proteolytic activity and subsequent ovarial development. Inhibition of ovarial development is probably indirect due to a deficit in circulating amino acids needed for YPs synthesis.

Targeting the D1-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex reduces L-dopa-induced dyskinesia in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned Parkinson's rats

L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-dopa) remains the most effective therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its long-term administration is associated with the development of debilitating motor complications known as l-dopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). Enhanced function of dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is believed to participate in the pathogenesis of LID. Given the existence of physical and functional interactions between D1R and NMDAR, we explored the effects of uncoupling D1R and NMDA GluN1 (GluN1) interaction on LID by using the Tat-conjugated interfering peptide (Tat-D1-t2). In this study, we demonstrated in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned PD rat model that intrastriatal injection of Tat-D1-t2 alleviated dyskinetic behaviors and downregulated the phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr34 induced by levodopa. Moreover, we also showed intrastriatal administration of Tat-D1-t2 elicited alterations in membranous GluN1 and D1R expression. These findings indicate that D1R/GluN1 complexes may be a molecular target with therapeutic potential for the treatment of dyskinesia in Parkinson’s patients.

p11 modulates L-DOPA therapeutic effects and dyskinesia via distinct cell types in experimental Parkinsonism

The reduced movement repertoire of Parkinson's disease (PD) is mainly due to degeneration of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons. Restoration of dopamine transmission by levodopa (L-DOPA) relieves motor symptoms of PD but often causes disabling dyskinesias. Subchronic L-DOPA increases levels of adaptor protein p11 (S100A10) in dopaminoceptive neurons of the striatum. Using experimental mouse models of Parkinsonism, we report here that global p11 knockout (KO) mice develop fewer jaw tremors in response to tacrine. Following L-DOPA, global p11KO mice show reduced therapeutic responses on rotational motor sensitization, but also develop less dyskinetic side effects. Studies using conditional p11KO mice reveal that distinct cell populations mediate these therapeutic and side effects. Selective deletion of p11 in cholinergic acetyltransferase (ChAT) neurons reduces tacrine-induced tremor. Mice lacking p11 in dopamine D2R-containing neurons have a reduced response to L-DOPA on the therapeutic parameters, but develop dyskinetic side effects. In contrast, mice lacking p11 in dopamine D1R-containing neurons exhibit tremor and rotational responses toward L-DOPA, but develop less dyskinesia. Moreover, coadministration of rapamycin with L-DOPA counteracts L-DOPA-induced dyskinesias in wild-type mice, but not in mice lacking p11 in D1R-containing neurons. 6-OHDA lesioning causes an increase of evoked striatal glutamate release in wild type, but not in global p11KO mice, indicating that altered glutamate neurotransmission could contribute to the reduced L-DOPA responsivity. These data demonstrate that p11 located in ChAT or D2R-containing neurons is involved in regulating therapeutic actions in experimental PD, whereas p11 in D1R-containing neurons underlies the development of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesias.

Perinatal 6-Hydroxydopamine to Produce a Lifelong Model of Severe Parkinson's Disease

The classic rodent model of Parkinson's disease (PD) is produced by unilateral lesioning of pars compacta substantia nigra (SNpc) in adult rats, producing unilateral motor deficits which can be assessed by dopamine (DA) D₂ receptor (D₂-R) agonist induction of measurable unilateral rotations. Bilateral SNpc lesions in adult rats produce life-threatening aphagia, adipsia, and severe motor disability resembling paralysis-a PD model that is so compromised that it is seldom used. Described in this paper is a PD rodent model in which there is bilateral 99 % loss of striatal dopaminergic innervation, produced by bilateral intracerebroventricular or intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) administration to perinatal rats. This procedure produces no lethality and does not shorten the life span, while rat pups continue to suckle through the pre-weaning period; and eat without impairment post-weaning. There is no obvious motor deficit during or after weaning, except with special testing, so that parkinsonian rats are indistinguishable from control and thus allow for behavioral assessments to be conducted in a blinded manner. L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) treatment increases DA content in striatal tissue, also evokes a rise in extraneuronal (i.e., in vivo microdialysate) DA, and is able to evoke dyskinesias. D₂-R agonists produce effects similar to those of L-DOPA. In addition, effects of both D₁- and D₂-R agonist effects on overt or latent receptor supersensitization are amenable to study. Elevated basal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), namely hydroxyl radical, occurring in dopaminergic denervated striatum are suppressed by L-DOPA treatment. Striatal serotoninergic hyperinnervation ensuing after perinatal dopaminergic denervation does not appear to interfere with assessments of the dopaminergic system by L-DOPA or D₁- or D₂-R agonist challenge. Partial lesioning of serotonin fibers with a selective neurotoxin either at birth or in adulthood is able to eliminate serotoninergic hyperinnervation and restore the normal level of serotoninergic innervation. Of all the animal models of PD, that produced by perinatal 6-OHDA lesioning provides the most pronounced destruction of nigrostriatal neurons, thus representing a model of severe PD, as the neurochemical outcome resembles the status of severe PD in humans but without obvious motor deficits.

Extract Reduces Oxidative Stress and Improves Symptoms in 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Parkinson's Disease in Rats

Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. There are many documents about the effects of oxidative stress in Parkinson's disease etiology. Angiotensin II activates NADPH dependent oxidases and causes superoxides formation. Peganum harmala L. extract, which has angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effect, is considered to evaluate oxidative stress inhibition and Parkinson's disease improvement. Male rats weighting 200-250 g were divided into 5 groups: Control, Neurotoxin (injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into left hemisphere substantia nigra), Peganum harmala's seeds aqueous extract (10 mg/kg) and captopril (5 mg/kg). Peganum harmala and captopril were injected intraperitonealy -144, -120, -96, -72, -48, -24, -2, 4 and 24 h relative to 6-hydroxydopamine injection time. Muscle stiffness, apomorphine induced unilateral rotation, amount of brain's protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation, ACE activity and histology of substantia nigra were assayed in all groups. Peganum harmala improved Muscle stiffness and one-direction rotation behavior significantly. It also reduced brain's lipid and protein oxidation levels in neurotoxin-injected rats significantly. In Peganum harmala group compared to control group, brain's ACE activity was significantly inhibited. In histological study, Peganum harmala prevented degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, too. In conclusion, aqueous extract of Peganum harmala could prevent symptoms and reduced oxidative stress markers in rats with Parkinson's disease induced by 6-hydroxydopamine.

Perinatal 6-Hydroxydopamine Modeling of ADHD

The neonatally 6-hydroxydopamine (n6-OHDA)-lesioned rat has been the standard for 40 years, as an animal model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Rats so lesioned during postnatal ontogeny are characterized by ~99 % destruction of dopaminergic nerves in pars compacta substantia nigra, with comparable destruction of the nigrostriatal tract and lifelong ~99 % dopaminergic denervation of striatum, with lesser destructive effect on the ventral tegmental nucleus and associated lesser dopaminergic denervation of nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. As a consequence of striatal dopaminergic denervation, reactive serotoninergic hyperinnervation of striatum ensues. The striatal extraneuronal milieu of DA and serotonin is markedly altered. Also, a variety of sensitization changes occur for dopaminergic D₁ and D₂ receptors, and for serotoninergic receptors. Behaviorally, these rats in adulthood display spontaneous hyperlocomotor activity, attentional deficits, and cognitive impairment-all of which are acutely attenuated by the psychostimulants amphetamine (AMPH) and methylphenidate (MPH) (i.e., opposite to the acute effects of AMPH and MPH in intact control rats). The acute behavioral effects of AMPH and MPH in intact and lesioned rats are analogous to their respective acute effects in non-ADHD and in ADHD humans. The neurochemical template of brain, and behavioral series of changes in n6-OHDA-lesioned rats, is described in the review. Despite the fact that nigrostriatal damage is not an underlying pathophysiological process of human ADHD (i.e., lacking construct validity), the described animal model has face validity (behavioral profile) and predictive validity (mirror of ADHD/MPH effects, as well as putative and new ADHD treatment effects). Also described in this review is a modification of the n6-OHDA rat, produced by adulthood partial lesioning of the serotoninergic fiber overgrowth. This ADHD model has even more accentuated hyperlocomotor and attentional deficits, counteracted by AMPH-thus providing a more robust means of animal modeling of ADHD. The n6-OHDA rat as a model of ADHD continues to be important in the search for new ADHD treatments.

Intracranial application of near-infrared light in a hemi-parkinsonian rat model: the impact on behavior and cell survival

OBJECT The authors of this study used a newly developed intracranial optical fiber device to deliver near-infrared light (NIr) to the midbrain of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats, a model of Parkinson's disease. The authors explored whether NIr had any impact on apomorphine-induced turning behavior and whether it was neuroprotective. METHODS Two NIr powers (333 nW and 0.16 mW), modes of delivery (pulse and continuous), and total doses (634 mJ and 304 J) were tested, together with the feasibility of a midbrain implant site, one considered for later use in primates. Following a striatal 6-OHDA injection, the NIr optical fiber device was implanted surgically into the midline midbrain area of Wistar rats. Animals were tested for apomorphine-induced rotations, and then, 23 days later, their brains were aldehyde fixed for routine immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS The results showed that there was no evidence of tissue toxicity by NIr in the midbrain. After 6-OHDA lesion, regardless of mode of delivery or total dose, NIr reduced apomorphine-induced rotations at the stronger, but not at the weaker, power. The authors found that neuroprotection, as assessed by tyrosine hydroxylase expression in midbrain dopaminergic cells, could account for some, but not all, of the observed behavioral improvements; the groups that were associated with fewer rotations did not all necessarily have a greater number of surviving cells. There may have been other "symptomatic" elements contributing to behavioral improvements in these rats. CONCLUSIONS In summary, when delivered at the appropriate power, delivery mode, and dosage, NIr treatment provided both improved behavior and neuroprotection in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats.

Lifelong Rodent Model of Tardive Dyskinesia-Persistence After Antipsychotic Drug Withdrawal

Tardive dyskinesia (TD), first appearing in humans after introduction of the phenothiazine class of antipsychotics in the 1950s, is now recognized as an abnormality resulting predominately by long-term block of dopamine (DA) D₂ receptors (R). TD is thus reproduced in primates and rodents by chronic administration of D₂-R antagonists. Through a series of studies predominately since the 1980s, it has been shown in rodent modeling of TD that when haloperidol or other D₂-R antagonist is added to drinking water, rats develop spontaneous oral dyskinesias, vacuous chewing movements (VCMs), after ~3 months, and this TD is associated with an increase in the number of striatal D₂-R. This TD persists for the duration of haloperidol administration and another ~2 months after haloperidol withdrawal. By neonatally lesioning dopaminergic nerves in brain in neonatal rats with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), it has been found that TD develops sooner, at ~2 months, and also is accompanied by a much higher number of VCMs in these haloperidol-treated lesioned rats, and the TD persists lifelong after haloperidol withdrawal, but is not associated with an increased D₂-R number in the haloperidol-withdrawn phase. TD apparently is related in part to supersensitization of both D₁-R and serotoninergic 5-HT₂-R, which is also a typical outcome of neonatal 6-OHDA (n6-OHDA) lesioning. Testing during the haloperidol-withdrawn phase in n6-OHDA rats displaying TD reveals that receptor agonists and antagonists of a host of neuronal phenotypic classes have virtually no effect on spontaneous VCM number, except for 5-HT₂-R antagonists which acutely abate the incidence of VCMs in part. Extrapolating to human TD, it appears that (1) 5-HT₂-R supersensitization is the crucial alteration accounting for persistence of TD, (2) dopaminergic-perhaps age-related partial denervation-is a risk factor for the development of TD, and (3) 5-HT₂-R antagonists have the therapeutic potential to alleviate TD, particularly if/when an antipsychotic D₂-R blocker is withdrawn.

Assessment of the Protection of Dopaminergic Neurons by an α7 Nicotinic Receptor Agonist, PHA 543613 Using [(18)F]LBT-999 in a Parkinson's Disease Rat Model

The inverse association between nicotine intake and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is well established and suggests that this molecule could be neuroprotective through anti-inflammatory action mediated by nicotinic receptors, including the α7-subtype (α7R). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an agonist of α7R, PHA 543613, on striatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in a rat model of PD induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion. Adult male Wistar rats were lesioned in the right striatum and assigned to either the PHA group (n = 7) or the Sham group (n = 5). PHA 543613 hydrochloride at the concentration of 6 mg/kg (PHA group) or vehicle (Sham group) was intra-peritoneally injected 2 h before 6-OHDA lesioning and then at days 2, 4, and 6 post-lesion. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging was performed at 7 days post-lesion using [¹⁸F]LBT-999 to quantify the striatal dopamine transporter (DAT). After PET imaging, neuroinflammation was evaluated in same animals in vitro through the measurement of the microglial activation marker 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) by quantitative autoradiography with [³H]PK-11195. The DAT density reflecting the integrity of dopaminergic neurons was significantly decreased while the intensity of neuroinflammation measured by TSPO density was significantly increased in the lesioned compared to intact striatum in both groups. However, these both modifications were partially reversed in the PHA group compared to Sham. In addition, a significant positive correlation between the degree of lesion and the intensity of neuroinflammation was evidenced. These findings indicate that PHA 543613 exerts neuroprotective effects on the striatal dopaminergic neurons associated with a reduction in microglial activation in this model of PD. This reinforces the hypothesis that an α7R agonist could provide beneficial effects for the treatment of PD.

Necrostatin-1 protection of dopaminergic neurons

Necroptosis is characterized by programmed necrotic cell death and autophagic activation and might be involved in the death process of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease. We hypothesized that necrostatin-1 could block necroptosis and give protection to dopaminergic neurons. There is likely to be crosstalk between necroptosis and other cell death pathways, such as apoptosis and autophagy. PC12 cells were pretreated with necroststin-1 1 hour before exposure to 6-hydroxydopamine. We examined cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential and expression patterns of apoptotic and necroptotic death signaling proteins. The results showed that the autophagy/lysosomal pathway is involved in the 6-hydroxydopamine-induced death process of PC12 cells. Mitochondrial disability induced overactive autophagy, increased cathepsin B expression, and diminished Bcl-2 expression. Necrostatin-1 within a certain concentration range (5–30 μM) elevated the viability of PC12 cells, stabilized mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibited excessive autophagy, reduced the expression of LC3-II and cathepsin B, and increased Bcl-2 expression. These findings suggest that necrostatin-1 exerted a protective effect against injury on dopaminergic neurons. Necrostatin-1 interacts with the apoptosis signaling pathway during this process. This pathway could be a new neuroprotective and therapeutic target in Parkinson's disease.

Major Alterations of Phosphatidylcholine and Lysophosphotidylcholine Lipids in the Substantia Nigra Using an Early Stage Model of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting the nigrostriatal pathway, where patients do not manifest motor symptoms until >50% of neurons are lost. Thus, it is of great importance to determine early neuronal changes that may contribute to disease progression. Recent attention has focused on lipids and their role in pro- and anti-apoptotic processes. However, information regarding the lipid alterations in animal models of PD is lacking. In this study, we utilized high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) and novel HPLC solvent methodology to profile phosphatidylcholines and sphingolipids within the substantia nigra. The ipsilateral substantia nigra pars compacta was collected from rats 21 days after an infusion of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), or vehicle into the anterior dorsal striatum. We identified 115 lipid species from their mass/charge ratio using the LMAPS Lipid MS Predict Database. Of these, 19 lipid species (from phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphotidylcholine lipid classes) were significantly altered by 6-OHDA, with most being down-regulated. The two lipid species that were up-regulated were LPC (16:0) and LPC (18:1), which are important for neuroinflammatory signalling. These findings provide a first step in the characterization of lipid changes in early stages of PD-like pathology and could provide novel targets for early interventions in PD.

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation reduces pathological information transmission to the thalamus in a rat model of parkinsonism

The degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta leads to parkinsonian motor symptoms via changes in electrophysiological activity throughout the basal ganglia. High-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) partially treats these symptoms, but the mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesize that motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are associated with increased information transmission from basal ganglia output neurons to motor thalamus input neurons and that therapeutic DBS of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) treats these symptoms by reducing this extraneous information transmission. We tested these hypotheses in a unilateral, 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rodent model of hemiparkinsonism. Information transfer between basal ganglia output neurons and motor thalamus input neurons increased in both the orthodromic and antidromic directions with hemiparkinsonian (hPD) onset, and these changes were reversed by behaviorally therapeutic STN-DBS. Omnidirectional information increases in the parkinsonian state underscore the detrimental nature of that pathological information and suggest a loss of information channel independence. Therapeutic STN-DBS reduced that pathological information, suggesting an effective increase in the number of independent information channels. We interpret these data with a model in which pathological information and fewer information channels diminishes the scope of possible motor activities, driving parkinsonian symptoms. In this model, STN-DBS restores information-channel independence by eliminating or masking the parkinsonism-associated information, and thus enlarges the scope of possible motor activities, alleviating parkinsonian symptoms.