title: TNF-alpha knockout and minocycline treatment attenuates blood-brain barrier leakage in MPTP-treated mice.
abstract: Following intraparenchymal injection of the dopamine (DA) neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine, we previously demonstrated passage of fluoresceinisothiocyanate-labeled albumin (FITC-LA) from blood into the substantia nigra (SN) and striatum suggesting damage to the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The factors contributing to the BBB leakage could have included neuroinflammation, loss of DA neuron control of barrier function, or a combination of both. In order to determine which factor(s) was responsible, we assessed BBB integrity using the FITC-LA technique in wild-type (WT), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) knockout (KO), and minocycline (an inhibitor of microglia activation) treated mice 72 h following treatment with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Compared with WT mice, TNF-alpha KO mice treated with MPTP showed reduced FITC-LA leakage, decreased numbers of activated microglia, and reduced proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha and interleukin 1beta) associated with significant MPTP-induced DA neuron loss. In contrast, minocycline treated animals did not exhibit significant MPTP-induced DA neuron loss although their FITC-LA leakage, numbers of activated microglia, and MPTP-induced cytokines were markedly attenuated. Since both TNF-alpha KO and minocycline treatment attenuated MPTP-induced BBB dysfunction, microglial activation, and cytokine increases, but had differential effects on DA neuron loss, it appears that neuroinflammation and not DA neuron loss was responsible for disrupting the blood-brain barrier integrity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, 1735 W Harrison St, Cohn Research Building, Suite 406, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Chaohui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zaodung
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Mary B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Ankush
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Carvey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002452:Cell Count; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017628:Microglia / Q000502:physiology; D008911:Minocycline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008911:Minocycline; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D004298:Dopamine