title: Basal lipid peroxidation in substantia nigra is increased in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels (an index of the amount of substrate available for lipid peroxidation) were measured in several brain regions from patients who died with Parkinson's disease and age-matched control human postmortem brains. PUFA levels were reduced in parkinsonian substantia nigra compared to other brain regions and to control tissue. However, basal malondialdehyde (MDA; an intermediate in the lipid peroxidation process) levels were increased in parkinsonian nigra compared with other parkinsonian brain regions and control tissue. Expressing basal MDA levels in terms of PUFA content, the difference between parkinsonian and control substantia nigra was even more pronounced. Stimulating MDA production by incubating tissue with FeSO4 plus ascorbic acid, FeSO4 plus H2O2, or air alone produced lower MDA levels in the parkinsonian substantia nigra, probably reflecting the lower PUFA content. These results may indicate that an increased level of lipid peroxidation continues to occur in the parkinsonian nigra up to the time of death, perhaps because of continued exposure to excess free radicals derived from some endogenous or exogenous neurotoxic species.
authors.affiliation: MRC Movement Disorders Research Group, University Department of Neurology, London, England.
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dexter
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Javoy-Agid
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Agid
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Marsden
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013858:Thiobarbiturates
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D005609:Free Radicals; D013858:Thiobarbiturates; C020748:ferrous sulfate; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C029684:thiobarbituric acid; D001205:Ascorbic Acid