Intracerebral microdialysis neurotoxicity studies of quinoline and isoquinoline derivatives related to MPTP/MPP

The in vivo dopaminergic neurotoxicity of a series of quinoline and isoquinoline derivatives was assessed in rats using an intrastriatal microdialysis technique that measures the release of dopamine. The N-methyl quaternary salts of these two heterocyclic aromatic systems displayed about 10% of the potency of MPP⁺ in this assay. Furthermore, tetrahydroisoquinoline, which has been reported to be present in human brain, and N-methyltetrahydroisoquinoline were found to be MAO-B substrates, being oxidized at about 3% the rate of MPTP. Thus, although tetrahydroisoquinoline and N-methyltetrahydroisoquinoline are not neurotoxic, it is conceivable that the chronic endogenous formation of quaternary species could cause neuronal lesions that contribute to the etiology of idiopathic Parkinson's disease.