Melatonin protects against neuronal damage induced by 3-nitropropionic acid in rat striatum.
In this study, the protective effects of melatonin were evaluated against 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP)-induced striatal neuronal damage in rats. Lesions were induced in the right striatum of Sprague-Dawley rats by stereotaxic injection with 3-NP and melatonin was intraperitoneally administered both 30 min before and 60 min after 3-NP injection. And rats continuously received melatonin daily for 3 days. As indicators of oxidative damage, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in the lesioned striatum were measured at 1 day after 3-NP injection. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl were significantly increased by 3-NP injection, but reduced in the melatonin-treated rats. Four days post-lesion, large lesions and extensive neuronal damage were produced in the 3-NP-injected striata, as revealed by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. In addition, marked ipsilateral rotational behavior following apomorphine challenge and a decrease of dopamine content in the lesioned striatum were observed in the 3-NP-injected rats. However, melatonin treatment significantly attenuated the 3-NP-induced neuronal damage, reduced the degree of asymmetric rotational behavior, and restored the dopamine level in the lesioned striatum. The present results indicate that melatonin effectively protects against the neuronal damage caused by 3-NP in vivo and that the neuroprotective effects of melatonin may be related to antioxidant action.
Nam
Eunjoo
E
Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Neuroscience Research Institute of Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Korea.
Lee
Seung Min
SM
Koh
Seong Eun
SE
Joo
Wan Seok
WS
Maeng
Sungho
S
Im
Heh In
HI
Kim
Yong Sik
YS
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009048:Motor Skills; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011422:Propionates; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D045442:Rotarod Performance Test
D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D008550:Melatonin; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid