title: Regulation of c-Ret, GFRalpha1, and GFRalpha2 in the substantia nigra pars compacta in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family members have been proposed as candidates for the treatment of Parkinson's disease because they protect nigral dopaminergic neurons against various types of insult. However, the efficiency of these factors depends on the availability of their receptors after damage. We evaluated the changes in the expression of c-Ret, GFRalpha1, and GFRalpha2 in the substantia nigra pars compacta in a rat model of Parkinson's disease by in situ hybridization. Intrastriatal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) transiently increased c-Ret and GFRalpha1 mRNA levels in the substantia nigra pars compacta at 1 day postlesion. At later time points, 3 and 6 days, the expression of c-Ret and GFRalpha1 was downregulated. GFRalpha2 expression was differentially regulated, as it decreased only 6 days after 6-OHDA injection. Triple-labeling studies, using in situ hybridization for the GDNF family receptors and immunohistochemistry for neuronal or glial cell markers, showed that changes in the expression of c-Ret, GFRalpha1, and GFRalpha2 in the substantia nigra pars compacta were localized to neurons. In conclusion, our results show that nigral neurons differentially regulate the expression of GDNF family receptors as a transient and compensatory response to 6-OHDA lesion.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Biologia Cel.lular i Anatomia Patològica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Casanova 143, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sònia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saura
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez-Navarro
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: José Martí
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tolosa
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alberch
mesh_terms: D018663:Adrenergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C494992:Gfra2 protein, rat; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016627:Oxidopamine; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila; C495001:Ret protein, rat