title: Alpha-1B adrenergic receptor knockout mice are protected against methamphetamine toxicity.
abstract: The psychostimulant methamphetamine (MA) is toxic to nigro-striatal dopaminergic terminals in both experimental animals and humans. In mice, three consecutive injections of MA (5 mg/kg, i.p. with 2 h of interval) induced a massive degeneration of the nigro-striatal pathway, as reflected by a 50% reduction in the striatal levels of dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), by a substantial reduction in striatal tyrosine hydroxylase and high-affinity DA transporter immunostaining, and by the development of reactive gliosis. MA-induced nigro-striatal degeneration was largely attenuated in mice lacking alpha1b-adrenergic receptors (ARs). MA-stimulated striatal DA release (measured by microdialysis in freely moving animals) and locomotor activity were also reduced in alpha1b-AR knockout mice. Pharmacological blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors with prazosin also protected wild-type mice against MA toxicity. These results suggests that alpha1b-ARs may play a role in the toxicity of MA on nigro-striatal DA neurons.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy. deblasi@neuromed.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fornai
authors.forename: Carla Letizia
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Busceti
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Blasi
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000633:toxicity*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005911:Gliosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017551:Microdialysis; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011224:Prazosin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C547716:ADRA1B protein, human; C547717:Adra1b protein, mouse; D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D008694:Methamphetamine; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid; D011224:Prazosin