title: Caspase inhibitors attenuate 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium toxicity in primary cultures of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons.
abstract: Parkinson's disease is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons. This neuronal loss is mimicked by the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+). MPP+ toxicity is mediated through inhibition of mitochondrial complex I, decreasing ATP production, and upregulation of oxygen radicals. There is evidence that the cell death induced by MPP+ is apoptotic and that inhibition of caspases may be neuroprotective. In primary cultures of rat mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, MPP+ treatment decreased the number of surviving dopaminergic neurons in the cultures and the ability of the neurons to take up [3H]dopamine ([3H]DA). Caspase inhibition using the broad-spectrum inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (zVAD-fmk) spared MPP+-treated dopaminergic neurons and increased somatic size. There was a partial restoration of neurite length in zVAD-fmk-treated cultures, but little restoration of [3H]DA uptake. Peptide inhibitors of caspases 2, 3, and 9, but not of caspase 1, caused significant neuroprotection. Two novel caspase inhibitors were tested for neuroprotection, a broad spectrum inhibitor and a selective caspase 3 inhibitor; both inhibitors increased survival to >90% of control. No neuroprotection was observed with an inactive control compound. MPP+ treatment caused chromatin condensation in dopaminergic neurons and increased expression of activated caspase 3. Inhibition of caspases with either zVAD-fmk or a selective caspase 3 inhibitor decreased the number of apoptotic profiles, but not expression of the active caspase. We conclude that MPP+ toxicity in primary dopaminergic neurons involves activation of a pathway terminating in caspase 3 activation, but that other mechanisms may underlie the neurite loss.
authors.affiliation: Merck, Sharp and Dohme Neuroscience Research Centre, Terlings Park, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2QR, United Kingdom. james_bilsland@merck.com
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bilsland
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xanthoudakis
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Yongxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hefti
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D004298:Dopamine