title: Time course changes in the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system following transection of the medial forebrain bundle: detection of oxidatively modified proteins in substantia nigra.
abstract: We studied the time course of oxidatively modified proteins in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system following transection of the medial forebrain bundle by quantifying the number of carbonyl groups coupled to striatal and nigral protein homogenates, an index of metal-catalyzed oxidations. We found a striking effect of axotomy on the number of oxidatively modified proteins in the substantia nigra but not in the striatum within the first 5 days postlesion. This effect was correlated with the neurochemical activity of the dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems in the substantia nigra, which suggests a role of dopamine- and serotonin-derived radical oxygen species in the oxidative stress detected in this brain area. We then searched for the type of cell death in the substantia nigra following axotomy. The fragmentation pattern obtained by agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA isolated from nigral tissue was indicative of cell death being entirely necrotic. In fact, no evidence of apoptosis was detected at any postlesion time as revealed by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. The course of necrotic cell death in the substantia nigra coincided with the maximal levels of oxidatively modified proteins in the substantia nigra, suggesting a link between oxidative stress and nerve cell death and also coinciding with the neurochemical activity of both dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Bromatología y Toxicología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Venero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Revuelta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001710:Biotin; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000502:physiology; D003856:Deoxyuracil Nucleotides; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D009336:Necrosis; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000601:surgery*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003856:Deoxyuracil Nucleotides; D012701:Serotonin; D001710:Biotin; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine