MK-801 fails to protect against the dopaminergic neuropathology produced by systemic 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine in mice or intranigral 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium in rats.
Previous studies from this laboratory demonstrated that (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate (MK-801), an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, did not prevent neurotoxicity to dopaminergic neurons in mice produced by systemic treatment with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). However, Turski et al. [Nature 349, 414-418 (1991)] reported that extended treatment of rats with NMDA receptor antagonists (six injections at 4-h intervals) did prevent the loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons resulting from an intranigral infusion of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), the neurotoxic metabolite of MPTP. The present studies examined if a similar extended treatment with MK-801 would protect mice from the neurotoxicity of systemically administered MPTP. Six intraperitoneal injections of MK-801 given at 4-h intervals did not protect mice against the MPTP-induced neostriatal dopamine loss measured 1 week after treatment. In other experiments, designed to replicate and expand on the results of Turski et al. (1991), the extended treatment of rats with MK-801 did not prevent MPP(+)-induced cell loss in the infused substantia nigra pars compacta or the dopamine depletion in the ipsilateral neostriatum at 7-11 days after MPP+ infusion. These results do not support the hypothesis that NMDA receptors are involved with MPTP/MPP(+)-induced neurodegeneration.
Sonsalla
P K
PK
Department of Neurology, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854.
Zeevalk
G D
GD
Manzino
L
L
Giovanni
A
A
Nicklas
W J
WJ
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D000818:Animals; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000502:physiology*
D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D004298:Dopamine