The unilateral nigral lesion induces dramatic bilateral modification on rat brain monoamine neurochemistry.
6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is a neurotoxic compound commonly used to induce dopamine (DA) depletion in the nigrostriatal system, mimicking Parkinson's disease (PD) in animals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the 7-day effect of unilateral nigral lesion on rat brain monoamine neurochemistry. Five brain regions were examined: the brain stem, cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum, and cortex. 6-OHDA-unilateral lesion dramatically modified DA, serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites contents in both sides of the different brain nuclei. Furthermore, unilateral 6-OHDA lesion reduced DA and 5-HT contents and produced a robust inversion of their turnover in the nonlesioned side compared to sham-operated rats. These data suggest that 6-OHDA unilateral nigral lesion produces bilateral monoamine level modifications, and this piece of evidence should be taken into account when one interprets data from animal models of unilateral PD.
Pierucci
Massimo
M
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, Santa Maria Imbaro (Chieti), Italy.
Di Matteo
Vincenzo
V
Benigno
Arcangelo
A
Crescimanno
Giuseppe
G
Esposito
Ennio
E
Di Giovanni
Giuseppe
G
D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*
D015306:Biogenic Monoamines