title: Wld(S) mice are protected against the Parkinsonian mimetic MPTP.
abstract: The progressive loss of the nigrostriatal pathway is a distinguishing feature of Parkinson's disease. Because terminal field loss appears to precede cell body loss, we tested whether the mouse mutant Wld(S), which delays axonal degeneration in a variety of disorders, would ameliorate nigrostriatal degeneration following treatment with the Parkinsonian mimetic 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The present findings show that the Wld(S) gene product enhances survival, prevents nigrostriatal axon degeneration, and attenuates neurotransmitter loss but does not rescue cell bodies. As MPTP is thought to impair mitochondrial energy production, these data suggest that disease pathology due to metabolic dysfunction could be improved by the Wld(S) gene product. These results suggest new therapeutic avenues for Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8108, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Daphne M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hasbani
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: O'Malley
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014316:Tritium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009498:Neurotoxins; C442580:Wld protein, mouse; D014316:Tritium; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine