Evidence of active microglia in substantia nigra pars compacta of parkinsonian monkeys 1 year after MPTP exposure.
Inflammatory changes have been found in Parkinson's disease, in humans intoxicated with the parkinsonian toxin MPTP, and in animal models of the disease. However, it is still not known whether inflammatory changes are responsible for active nerve cell death or if they have a protective role against neurodegeneration. In this study, we analyzed the glial reaction in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and the striatum of monkeys rendered parkinsosian by chronic MPTP injections. At postmortem examination 1 year after the last MPTP injection, the density of astroglial cells and activated microglial cells in the SNpc, but not in the striatum, of MPTP-intoxicated animals was significantly higher than in the two control animals. These data suggest that neurodegeneration was still active despite the absence of the agent triggering cell death and that the glial reaction is associated with long-term neurodegeneration.
Barcia
Carlos
C
Experimental Neurology and Neurosurgery Group, Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain. barcia@um.es
Sánchez Bahillo
Angel
A
Fernández-Villalba
Emiliano
E
Bautista
Víctor
V
Poza Y Poza
Máximo
M
Fernández-Barreiro
Andrés
A
Hirsch
Etienne C
EC
Herrero
María-Trinidad
MT
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D015415:Biomarkers; D064026:Calbindins; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013995:Time; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D064026:Calbindins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine