Neuronal or inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression level is not involved in the different susceptibility to nigro-striatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice

Impaired mitochondrial functions and energy metabolism in MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease: comparison of mice strains and dose regimens

Heterogenous diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD) needs an efficient animal model to enhance understanding of the underlying mechanisms and to develop therapeutics. MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine), a neurotoxin, has been widely used to replicate the pathophysiology of PD in rodents, however, the knowledge about its effects on energy metabolism is limited. Moreover, susceptibility to different dose regimens of MPTP also varies among mice strains. Thus, the present study compares the effect of acute and sub-acute MPTP administration on mitochondrial functions in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. In addition, activity of enzymes involved in energy metabolism was also studied along with behavioural alterations. The findings show that acute dose of MPTP in C57BL/6 mice had more profound effect on the activity of electron transport chain complexes. Further, the activity of MAO-B was increased following acute and sub-acute MPTP administration in C57BL/6 mice. However, no significant change was observed in BALB/c mice. Acute MPTP treatment resulted in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential along with increased swelling of mitochondria in C57BL/6 mice. In addition, perturbations were observed in hexokinase, the rate limiting enzyme of glycolysis and pyruvate dehydrogenase, the enzymes that connects glycolysis and TCA cycle. The activity of TCA cycle enzymes; citrate synthase, aconitase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and fumarase were also altered following MPTP intoxication. Furthermore, acute MPTP administration led to drastic reduction in dopamine levels in striatum of C57BL/6 as compared to BALB/c mice. Behavioral tests such as open field, narrow beam walk and footprint analysis revealed severe impairment in locomotor activity in C57BL/6 mice. These results clearly demonstrate that C57BL/6 strain is more vulnerable to MPTP-induced mitochondrial dysfunctions, perturbations in energy metabolism and motor defects as compared to BALB/c strain. Thus, the findings suggest that the dose and strain of mice need to be considered for pre-clinical studies using MPTP-induced model of Parkinson's disease.

Oral subchronic exposure to the mycotoxin ochratoxin A induces key pathological features of Parkinson's disease in mice six months after the end of the treatment

Some epidemiological studies with different levels of evidence have pointed to a higher risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) after exposure to environmental toxicants. A practically unexplored potential etiological factor is a group of naturally-occurring fungal secondary metabolites called mycotoxins. The mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) has been reported to be neurotoxic in mice. To further identify if OTA exposure could have a role in PD pathology, Balb/c mice were orally treated with OTA (0.21, 0.5 mg/kg bw) four weeks and left for six months under normal diet. Effects of OTA on the onset, progression of alpha-synuclein pathology and development of motor deficits were evaluated. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses showed that oral subchronic OTA treatment induced loss of striatal dopaminergic innervation and dopaminergic cell dysfunction responsible for motor impairments. Phosphorylated alpha-synuclein levels were increased in gut and brain. LAMP-2A protein was decreased in tissues showing alpha-synuclein pathology. Cell cultures exposed to OTA exhibited decreased LAMP-2A protein, impairment of chaperone-mediated autophagy and decreased alpha-synuclein turnover which was linked to miRNAs deregulation, all reminiscent of PD. These results support the hypothesis that oral exposure to low OTA doses in mice can lead to biochemical and pathological changes reported in PD.

MPP+-Lesioned Mice: an Experimental Model of Motor, Emotional, Memory/Learning, and Striatal Neurochemical Dysfunctions

The neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induces motor and nonmotor dysfunctions resembling Parkinson's disease (PD); however, studies investigating the effects of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺), an active oxidative product of MPTP, are scarce. This study investigated the behavioral and striatal neurochemical changes (related to oxidative damage, glial markers, and neurotrophic factors) 24 h after intracerebroventricular administration of MPP⁺ (1.8-18 μg/mouse) in C57BL6 mice. MPP⁺ administration at high dose (18 μg/mouse) altered motor parameters, since it increased the latency to leave the first quadrant and reduced crossing, rearing, and grooming responses in the open-field test and decreased rotarod latency time. MPP⁺ administration at low dose (1.8 μg/mouse) caused specific nonmotor dysfunctions as it produced a depressive-like effect in the forced swim test and tail suspension test, loss of motivational and self-care behavior in the splash test, anxiety-like effect in the elevated plus maze test, and short-term memory deficit in the step-down inhibitory avoidance task, without altering ambulation. MPP⁺ at doses of 1.8-18 μg/mouse increased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunocontent and at 18 μg/mouse increased α-synuclein and decreased parkin immunocontent. The astrocytic calcium-binding protein S100B and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)/S100B ratio was decreased following MPP⁺ administration (18 μg/mouse). At this highest dose, MPP⁺ increased the ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) immunocontent, suggesting microglial activation. Also, MPP⁺ at a dose of 18 μg/mouse increased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH) levels and increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) immunocontent, suggesting a significant role for oxidative stress in the MPP⁺-induced striatal damage. MPP⁺ (18 μg/mouse) also increased striatal fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Moreover, MPP⁺ decreased tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) immunocontent. Finally, MPP⁺ (1.8-18 μg/mouse) increased serum corticosterone levels and did not alter acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the striatum but increased it in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Collectively, these results indicate that MPP⁺ administration at low doses may be used as a model of emotional and memory/learning behavioral deficit related to PD and that MPP⁺ administration at high dose could be useful for analysis of striatal dysfunctions associated with motor deficits in PD.

Biochemical evaluation of the neurotoxicity of MPTP and MPP⁺ in embryonic and newborn mice

One of the toxicities caused by 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is damage to dopaminergic neurons. When injected into C57BL/6J mice, MPTP penetrates into the brain and is converted to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺) by monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B in astrocytes. MPP⁺ has high affinity for the dopamine transporter (DAT) on dopaminergic neurons, and is taken up into the cell to cause cell death. There have been relatively few researches on the acute MPTP toxicity to embryonic or newborn mice. In the present study, we attempted to evaluate the influence of MPTP and MPP⁺ on embryonic and newborn mice by measuring sequential changes in major indexes of MPTP toxicity and MPTP metabolism; levels of Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH), DAT, MAO-A and MAO-B. In addition, we measured the levels of dopamine and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA), in the brain of newborn mice. A single injection of MPTP and MPP⁺ reduced the levels of dopamine and its metabolites, DOPAC and HVA, in the brain of newborn mice about 6-12 hr after the injection. Similarly the levels of mRNAs and proteins of DAT and TH were lowered in the brain of embryonic and newborn mice as well. The levels of these indexes were generally recovered at 24 hr after injection, indicating that the neurotoxicity induced by a single injection of MPTP or MPP⁺ is temporary and recoverable in embryonic and newborn mice. By contrast, no significant changes in the expression levels of MAO-A and MAO-B were observed in either MPTP- or MPP⁺-treated mice.

Metabolite profile resulting from the activation/inactivation of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and 2-methyltetrahydro-β-carboline by oxidative enzymes

Metabolic enzymes are involved in the activation/deactivation of the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyiridine (MPTP) neurotoxin and its naturally occurring analogs 2-methyltetrahydro-β-carbolines. The metabolic profile and biotransformation of these protoxins by three enzymes, monoamine oxidase (MAO), cytochrome P450, and heme peroxidases (myeloperoxidase and lactoperoxidase), were investigated and compared. The metabolite profile differed among the enzymes investigated. MAO and heme peroxidases activated these substances to toxic pyridinium and β-carbolinium species. MAO catalyzed the oxidation of MPTP to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium cation (MPDP(+)), whereas heme peroxidases catalyzed the oxidation of MPDP(+) to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) and of 2-methyltetrahydro-β-carboline to 2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-β-carbolinium cation (2-Me-3,4-DH β C(+)). These substances were inactivated by cytochrome P450 2D6 through N-demethylation and aromatic hydroxylation (MPTP) and aromatic hydroxylation (2-methyltetrahydro-β-carboline). In conclusion, the toxicological effects of these protoxins might result from a balance between the rate of their activation to toxic products (i.e., N-methylpyridinium-MPP(+) and MPDP(+)- and N-methyl--β--carbolinium- βC(+)-) by MAO and heme peroxidases and the rate of inactivation (i.e., N-demethylation, aromatic hydroxylation) by cytochrome P450 2D6.

Exercise does not protect against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in BDNF haploinsufficient mice

Exercise has been demonstrated to potently protect substantia nigra pars compacta (SN) dopaminergic neurons from 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity. One mechanism proposed to account for this neuroprotection is the upregulation of neurotrophic factors. Several neurotrophic factors, including Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), have been shown to upregulate in response to exercise. In order to determine if exercise-induced neuroprotection is dependent upon BDNF, we compared the neuroprotective effects of voluntary exercise in mice heterozygous for the BDNF gene (BDNF+/-) with strain-matched wild-type (WT) mice. Stereological estimates of SNpc DA neurons from WT mice allowed 90 days exercise via unrestricted running demonstrated complete protection against the MPTP-induced neurotoxicity. However, BDNF+/- mice allowed 90 days of unrestricted exercise were not protected from MPTP-induced SNpc DA neuron loss. Proteomic analysis comparing SN and striatum from 90 day exercised WT and BDNF+/- mice showed differential expression of proteins related to energy regulation, intracellular signaling and trafficking. These results suggest that a full genetic complement of BDNF is critical for the exercise-induced neuroprotection of SNpc DA neurons.