title: Inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration, iron (II), and hydroxyl radical evoke release and extracellular hydrolysis of glutathione in rat striatum and substantia nigra: potential implications to Parkinson's disease.
abstract: In this investigation, microdialysis has been used to study the effects of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and the active metabolite of the dopaminergic neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), on extracellular concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (CySH) in the rat striatum and substantia nigra (SN). During perfusion of a neurotoxic concentration of MPP+ (2.5 mM) into the rat striatum or SN, extracellular concentrations of GSH and CySH remain at basal levels (both approximately 2 microM). However, when the perfusion is discontinued, a massive but transient release of GSH occurs, peaking at 5,000% of basal levels in the striatum and 2,000% of basal levels in the SN. The release of GSH is followed by a slightly delayed and smaller elevation of extracellular concentrations of CySH that can be blocked by the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) inhibitor acivicin. Low-molecular-weight iron and extracellular hydroxyl radical (OH*) have been implicated as participants in the mechanism underlying the dopaminergic neurotoxicity of MPTP/MPP+. During perfusion of Fe2+ (OH*) into the rat striatum and SN, extracellular levels of GSH also remain at basal levels. When perfusions of Fe2+ are discontinued, a massive transient release of GSH occurs followed by a delayed, small, but progressive elevation of extracellular CySH level that again can be blocked by acivicin. Previous investigators have noted that extracellular concentrations of the excitatory/excitotoxic amino acid glutamate increase dramatically when perfusions of neurotoxic concentrations of MPP+ are discontinued. This observation and the fact that MPTP/MPP+ causes the loss of nigrostriatal GSH without corresponding increases of glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and the results of the present investigation suggest that the release and gamma-GT/dipeptidase-mediated hydrolysis of GSH to glutamate, glycine, and CySH may be important factors involved with the degeneration of dopamine neurons. It is interesting that a very early event in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is a massive loss of GSH in the SN pars compacta that is not accompanied by corresponding increases of GSSG levels. Based on the results of this and prior investigations, a new hypothesis is proposed that might contribute to an understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the degeneration of dopamine neurons evoked by MPTP/MPP+, other agents that impair neuronal energy metabolism, and Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman 73019, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dryhurst
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism; D006868:Hydrolysis; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000494:pharmacology; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D010477:Perfusion; D011422:Propionates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D007501:Iron; D005978:Glutathione; D003545:Cysteine; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D005998:Glycine