Neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonists abrogate methamphetamine-induced striatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity in the murine brain.
Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive substance that also causes extensive neural degeneration in the central nervous system. Because METH augments striatal substance P (SP) levels, we hypothesized that this neuropeptide plays a role in methamphetamine-induced toxicity and neural damage in the striatum. In this study we present evidence demonstrating that signaling through the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor by SP plays an important role in methamphetamine-induced toxicity in the striatum. We tested the effects of the selective NK-1 receptor antagonists WIN-51,708 and L-733,060 on several markers of dopaminergic terminal toxicity in the mouse striatum. Administration of NK-1 receptor antagonist prevented the loss of dopamine transporters assessed by autoradiography and western blotting, the loss of tissue dopamine assessed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase, as well as the induction of glial fibrillary acidic protein determined by western blotting. Pre-treatment with NK-1 receptor antagonist had no effect on METH-induced hyperthermia. Pre-exposure of mice to either of the NK-1 receptor antagonists alone was without effect on all of these neurochemical markers. These results provide the first evidence that tachykinins, particularly SP, acting through NK-1 receptors, play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of nigrostriatal dopaminergic terminal degeneration induced by METH. This finding could lead to novel therapeutic strategies to offset drug addictions as well as in the treatment of a number of disorders including Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.
Yu
Jing
J
Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Cadet
Jean Lud
JL
Angulo
Jesus A
JA
D000731:Androstanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064729:Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D000731:Androstanes; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064729:Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010880:Piperidines; C086111:WIN 51708; C103788:3-((3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)methyloxy)-2-phenylpiperidine; D013373:Substance P; D008694:Methamphetamine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine