title: Role of nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) for MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahyropyridine)-induced apoptosis in nigral neurons of mice.
abstract: The biochemical and cellular changes that occur following treatment with MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahyropyridine) are remarkably similar to that seen in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. In this study, we investigated the time course changes of NF-kappaB (Nuclear factor kappa B) p65 protein and apoptosis in the substantia nigra after MPTP treatment in mice. Four administrations of MPTP at 2 h intervals showed a significant and severe decrease of the number of TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) immunopositive neurons in the substantia nigra of mice from 5 h up to 21 days posttreatment. Densities of DAT (dopamine transporter) immunoreactivity were also significantly decreased in nigral neurons of mice from 1 up to 21 days after MPTP treatment. GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) immunopositive cells were increased significantly in the substantia nigra from 5 h up to 21 days after MPTP treatment. In contrast, isolectin B(4) positive microglia were increased markedly in the substantia nigra only 3 and 7 days after MPTP treatment. On the other hand, a significant increase of NF-kappaB p65 immunoreactivity was observed mainly in glial cells of the substantia nigra from 5 h to 3 days after MPTP treatment. A significant increase of ssDNA (single stranded DNA) immunopositive apoptotic neurons was also observed in the substantia nigra from 5 h to 3 days after MPTP treatment. These results demonstrate that dopaminergic neuronal loss may be caused by apoptosis due to increased cytokines and apoptosis-related proteins via the activation of NF-kappaB in reactive astrocytes of the substantia nigra after MPTP treatment in mice. Thus our findings suggest that the inhibition of NF-kappaB activation in astrocytes may be useful intervention in Parkinson's disease and other neurogenerative disorders where apoptosis or inflammation plays a key role in disease pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Therapeutics, Graduate School and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Ryohei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Araki
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; C498144:Rela protein, mouse; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D004298:Dopamine