title: Effect of PACAP in 6-OHDA-induced injury of the substantia nigra in intact young and ovariectomized female rats.
abstract: Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) has neuroprotective effects in various neuronal cultures and in models of brain pathologies in vivo. Among others, it protects dopaminergic neurons in vitro, against 6-OHDA- and rotenone-induced injury. Recently, we have shown that PACAP reduces dopaminergic cell loss and ameliorates behavioral outcome following unilateral 6-OHDA-induced injury of the substantia nigra in male rats. However, after castration, PACAP led only to a slight amelioration of the behavioral symptoms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the degree of neuroprotection exerted by PACAP in female rats, using the same model. It was found that PACAP had no effect on the dopaminergic cell loss in intact female rats, only caused amelioration of certain acute behavioral signs. In contrast, PACAP effectively increased dopaminergic cell survival and decreased behavioral deficits in ovariectomized females. These results indicate that the neuroprotective effect of PACAP in a rat model of Parkinson's disease is gender-specific.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Neurohumoral Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, University of Pécs, Medical School, 7624 Pécs, Szigeti u 12, Hungary. dora.reglodi@aok.pte.hu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reglödi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lubics
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lengvári
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gaszner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hegyi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamás
mesh_terms: D018663:Adrenergic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D016627:Oxidopamine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase