title: Genetic ablation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and pharmacological inhibition of TNF-synthesis attenuates MPTP toxicity in mouse striatum.
abstract: The impact of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) and in MPTP neurotoxicity remains unclear. Here, male TNF-alpha (-/-) deficient mice and C57bL/6 mice were treated with MPTP (4 x 15 mg/kg, 24 h intervals) and in one series, thalidomide was administered to inhibit TNF-alpha synthesis. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that the striatal mRNA levels of TNF-alpha, of the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and of the marker for activated microglia, macrophage antigen complex-1 (MAC-1), were significantly enhanced after MPTP administration. Thalidomide (50 mg/kg, p.o.) partly protected against the MPTP-induced dopamine (DA) depletion, and TNF-alpha (-/-) mice showed a significant attenuation of striatal DA and DA metabolite loss as well as striatal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) fiber density, but no difference in nigral TH and DA transporter immunoreactivity. TNF-alpha deficient mice suffered a lower mortality (10%) compared to the high mortality (75%) seen in wild-type mice after acute MPTP treatment (4 x 20 mg/kg, 2 h interval). HPLC measurement of MPP(+) levels revealed no differences in TNF-alpha (-/-), wild-type and thalidomide treated mice. This study demonstrates that TNF-alpha is involved in MPTP toxicity and that inhibition of TNF-alpha response may be a promising target for extending beyond symptomatic treatment and developing anti-parkinsonian drugs for the treatment of the inflammatory processes in PD.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland. boris.ferger@bc.boehringer-ingelheim.com
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferger
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leng
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hengerer
authors.forename: Joram
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feldon
mesh_terms: D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013792:Thalidomide; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D004298:Dopamine