Neuroprotective effects of pramipexole in young and aged MPTP-treated mice

This study examined the effect of pramipexole (PPX), a selective dopamine (DA) D(3)/D(2) agonist, on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced damage to the nigrostriatal dopamine system in young (8-week-old) and aged (12-month-old) mice. Co-administration of PPX and MPTP to young or aged mice, followed by 2 or 14 days of additional PPX treatment, significantly attenuated MPTP-induced striatal DA loss. Pramipexole treatment also significantly attenuated the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons (TH-IR) within the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) in both young and aged animals. Effects of PPX administration on dopaminergic cell survival were confirmed in Nissl-stained sections and by quantitation of retrogradely labeled Fluorogold-positive SNc neurons. Protective effects of PPX on striatal DA levels and SNc DA neuron survival were similar in young and aged animals, although the magnitude of these effects was significantly less in aged animals. These findings support the early initiation of PPX therapy in Parkinson's disease patients.     

Limited recovery of striatal dopaminergic fibers by adrenal medullary grafts in MPTP-treated aging mice

Systemic injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) damages the dopaminergic (DA) nigrostriatal system in C57BL/6 mice. We have investigated the effect of MPTP neurotoxicity and subsequent adrenal medullary grafts into the striatum of young (2-3 months) and aging (12 months) mice. MPTP treatment (4 X 20 mg/kg ip given 3 or 12 h apart in young mice and 12 h apart in aging mice) resulted in 80-90% depletion of striatal DA and virtual disappearance of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive (IR) fibers in both young and aging mice 1 week following treatment. Only partial recovery of TH-IR fibers was seen 5 weeks after MPTP treatment in young mice, while virtually no recovery was seen in aging mice. Adrenal medullary minced pieces were grafted into the striatum of young and aging mice 1 week after MPTP treatment. In young mice, dense TH-IR fibers were observed in the striatum on the grafted side 4 weeks later, far denser than those in sham-operated striatum. Although this staining was most prominent around the grafts, many TH-IR fibers also were found in the ventral striatum close to the nucleus accumbens. No such increase in TH-IR fibers was found on the nongrafted side. DA concentration on the grafted side recovered to 45% of the control level. In aging mice receiving similar grafts, TH-IR fibers also were observed in the grafted striatum, but were less dense and more restricted around the site of the graft compared with young mice. DA concentration on the grafted side was 29% of the control level. We conclude that the MPTP-depleted nigrostriatal DA system in aging mouse brain can recover partially following adrenal medullary grafts, but the degree of recovery is more limited compared with that in young brain.     

Amygdalo-nigral circuit mediates stress-induced vulnerability to the parkinsonian toxin MPTP

Aims

The aim was to investigate the effect of mood disorders on parkinsonian toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced motor disability, substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopaminergic (DA) neurons loss. Also, the neural circuit mechanism was elucidated.

Methods

The depression-like (physical stress, PS) and anxiety-like (emotional stress, ES) mouse models were established by the three-chamber social defeat stress (SDS). The features of Parkinson's disease were reproduced by MPTP injection. Viral-based whole-brain mapping was utilized to resolve the stress-induced global changes in direct inputs onto SNc DA neurons. Calcium imaging and chemogenetic techniques were applied to verify the function of the related neural pathway.

Results

We found that PS mice, but not ES mice, showed worse movement performance and more SNc DA neuronal loss than control mice after MPTP administration. The projection from the central amygdala (CeA) to the SNc^DA was significantly increased in PS mice. The activity of SNc-projected CeA neurons was enhanced in PS mice. Activating or inhibiting the CeA-SNc^DA pathway could mimic or block PS-induced vulnerability to MPTP.

Conclusions

These results indicated that projections from CeA to SNc DA neurons contribute to SDS-induced vulnerability to MPTP in mice.     

Chronic deprivation of TrkB signaling leads to selective late-onset nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration

The pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) is a selective and progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). In the vast majority of cases the appearance of PD is sporadic, and its etiology remains unknown. Several postmortem studies demonstrate reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the SNc of PD patients. Application of BDNF promotes the survival of DA neurons in PD animal models. Here we show that BDNF signaling via its TrkB receptor tyrosine kinase is important for survival of nigrostriatal DA neurons in aging brains. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the TrkB receptor was expressed in DA neurons located in the SNc and ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, a significant loss of DA neurons occurred at 12–24 months of age only in the SNc but not in the VTA of TrkB hypomorphic mice in which the TrkB receptor was expressed at a quarter to a third of the normal amount. The neuronal loss was accompanied by a decrease in dopaminergic axonal terminals in the striatum and by gliosis in both the SNc and striatum. Furthermore, nigrostriatal DA neurons in the TrkB mutant mice were hypersensitive to the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor that selectively kills DA neurons. These results suggest that BDNF-to-TrkB signaling plays an important role in the long-term maintenance of the nigrostriatal system and that its deficiency may contribute to the progression of PD.     

The novel cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor GW637185X protects against l-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine toxicity

The possible neuroprotective role of a novel and highly selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor GW637185X was studied in a model of acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced injury of nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the mouse. Stereological and microdensitometrical analysis of nigral tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cell bodies and striatal tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive terminals, respectively, showed that GW637185X exerted a full protection against MPTP-induced degeneration of the nigro-striatal pathway. In contrast to earlier studies, these findings demonstrate that acute inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 can result in a full neuroprotective effect not only on nigral DA cell bodies, but also on striatal DA terminals in the mouse MPTP model.     

Enhanced N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine toxicity in mice deficient in CuZn-superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase

Administration of N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) to mammals causes damage to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway similar to that observed in Parkinson disease (PD). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of MPTP-mediated dopaminergic neurodegeneration. To further clarify the role of superoxide anion radical (*O2-) and to study the possible involvement of hydroperoxides in MPTP-mediated neurodegeneration, MPTP neurotoxicity was induced in mice deficient in either CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD), a scavenger enzyme for *O2-, or cellular glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx-1), a scavenger enzyme for hydroperoxides. Littermate control and homozygous deficient mice were injected intraperitoneally with a total cumulative dose of 0, 75, or 150 mg/kg of MPTP delivered over 5 d. All mice were killed 5 d after the last injection and the brains were processed for immunohistological analysis for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the striatum and the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), as well as for direct measurements of dopamine concentrations in the striatum. The intensity of TH immunoreactivity in the striatum was evaluated by measuring the relative optical density (OD) with NIH IMAGE, and expressed as Log (OD of striatum)/Log (OD of white matter). Degeneration of TH-containing neurons was assessed by counting TH-positive neurons in the SNc. We found that this MPTP exposure protocol produced dose-dependent depletion of TH immunoreactivity and dopamine in the striatum in littermate control mice and both strains of knockout mice; however. reduction in TH immunoreactivity and dopamine content were significantly greater in CuZn-SOD or GSHPx-1 deficient mice compared with littermate controls. MPTP exposure did not significantly alter the number of TH-positive neurons in the SNc in littermate control or knockout mice. These data suggest that some of the deleterious effects of MPTP on striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals are mediated by both *O2- and hydroperoxides, and that they occur prior to dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the SNc. The similarity between the MPTP model and PD raises the possibility that both types of ROS may play a significant role in the early pathogenesis of dopaminergic neurodegeneration in PD.     

Broad neuroprotective profile of nicotinamide in different mouse models of MPTP-induced parkinsonism

The factors contributing to substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopamine (DA) neuron death and striatal DA depletion in Parkinson's disease (PD) are still poorly understood. However, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular energy depletion and oxidative stress appear to play important roles in the pathogenesis of PD. In view of this, the current study examined the potential of nicotinamide, a form of the B-complex vitamin niacin, to protect against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced SNc cell loss and striatal DA depletion in two mouse MPTP models that respond differently to putative neuroprotective agents. Adult male C57Bl/6 mice received nicotinamide (125, 250 or 500 mg/kg i.p.) prior to either acute (four injections in 1 day at 2-h intervals) or sub-acute (two injections per day at 4-h intervals for 5 days) MPTP administration. Striatal DA levels, changes in numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)- and cresyl violet-stained cells in the SNc at 2 and 6 weeks following the last MPTP exposure were analyzed. Nicotinamide administration resulted in a dose-dependent sparing of striatal DA levels and SNc neurons in acute MPTP-treated animals. Only the highest dose of nicotinamide had similar effects in sub-acute MPTP-treated animals. At 6 weeks after MPTP exposure, there was some spontaneous recovery of striatal DA levels in both models: neuroprotective effects were still apparent in acute but not sub-acute MPTP-treated animals. These results show neuroprotective effects of nicotinamide in different mouse Parkinson models associated with different forms of cell death and suggest that nicotinamide may have broad neuroprotective potential in PD.     

Neuroprotective and anti‐inflammatory effects of the adenosine A2A receptor antagonist ST1535 in a MPTP mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Adenosine A_2A receptor antagonists are one of the most attractive classes of drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) as they are effective in counteracting motor dysfunctions and display neuroprotective and anti‐inflammatory effects in animal models of PD. In this study, we evaluated the neuroprotective and anti‐inflammatory properties of the adenosine A_2A receptor antagonist ST1535 in a subchronic 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of PD. C57BL/6J mice were repeatedly administered with vehicle, MPTP (20 mg/kg), or MPTP + ST1535 (2 mg/kg). Mice were sacrificed three days after the last administration of MPTP. Immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and cresyl violet staining were employed to evaluate dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and caudate‐putamen (CPu). CD11b and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity were, respectively, evaluated as markers of microglial and astroglial response in the SNc and CPu. Stereological analysis for TH revealed a 32% loss of dopaminergic neurons in the SNc after repeated MPTP administration, which was completely prevented by ST1535 coadministration. Similarly, CPu decrease in TH (25%) was prevented by ST1535. MPTP treatment induced an intense gliosis in both the SNc and CPu. ST1535 totally prevented CD11b immunoreactivity in both analyzed areas, but only partially blocked GFAP increase in the SNc and CPu. A_2A receptor antagonism is a new opportunity for improving symptomatic PD treatment. With its neuroprotective effect on dopaminergic neuron toxicity induced by MPTP and its antagonism on glial activation, ST1535 represents a new prospect for a disease‐modifying drug. Synapse, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Neuroprotection in Parkinson models varies with toxin administration protocol

Numerous factors contribute to substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopamine (DA) neuron death in Parkinson's disease (PD), thus complicating the search for effective neuroprotective agents for this disease. Although the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mouse has been widely used for assessing neuroprotective agents for PD, the pathological processes resulting from MPTP exposure can vary greatly depending upon the MPTP administration protocol. This study assessed the degree to which the neuroprotective efficacy of particular agents may depend upon the MPTP administration protocol (i.e. acute vs. subacute toxin administration). Endpoints analysed were changes in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and NeuN cell numbers in the SNc, striatal DA and metabolite levels, and striatal TH+ fiber density. The efficacy of putative neuroprotective agents [i.e. LIGA 20, nicotinamide and pramipexole (PPX)] varied depending upon the MPTP administration protocol. LIGA 20 spared striatal DA levels in both MPTP models, while nicotinamide was only effective in the acute toxin administration model and PPX was only effective in the subacute model. In both MPTP models, LIGA 20 and nicotinamide significantly spared DAergic neurons; PPX only spared DAergic neurons in the subacute model. Only acute MPTP-treated mice that received nicotinamide had a significant sparing of striatal DAergic fibers. These results underscore the need to assess putative neuroprotective agents for PD in multiple animal models using multiple endpoints. This strategy may better identify compounds with broad neuroprotective/neurorestorative profiles that may be more likely to be clinically effective.     

Recovery of nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic system following administration of ganglioside in MPTP-treated mice

The effects of systemic injection of GM 1 ganglioside on dopaminergic (DA) nigrostriatal and mesolimbic system following 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) have been studied in C 57 BL/6 mice. MPTP treatment (4 x 20 mg/kg i.p. given 12 hr apart) resulted in significant depletion of DA concentration in the major terminal fields of the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic DA systems, i.e. dorsal striatum, ventral striatum, nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle 5 weeks after treatment in young (2 month old) mice. In aging (12 month old) mice treated with MPTP, significant depletion of DA concentration was observed in the cell body regions, i.e. substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area in addition to the major terminal fields, suggesting that the effect of MPTP is more widespread in aging mice. Although GM 1 ganglioside treatment (30 mg/kg, i.p. daily for 5 weeks) partially restored DA concentration in every major terminal field in young mice, such an apparent recovery was not seen in aging mice. GM 1 ganglioside treatment also reduced the increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC)/DA ratio following MPTP injection in the striatum of young mice, but such an effect was not observed in aging mice. We conclude that DA nigrostriatal and mesolimbic system in aging mice demonstrates reduced regenerative capacity following MPTP depletion compared with young mice, and the beneficial effect of GM 1 ganglioside for the recovery of DA nigrostriatal and mesolimbic system neurons declines with age.