Neuroprotective effects of bee venom pharmaceutical acupuncture in acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
We explored the neuroprotective effects of bee venom acupuncture in acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.


METHODS
Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: saline-injected control group, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-injected group and bee venom acupuncture-pretreated plus 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-injected group. Mice were injected with 0.02 ml bee venom (1 : 2000 w/v) to GB34 (Yangneungcheon) bilaterally once every 3 days for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks' pre-treatment, the mice were injected with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) four times in 2 hour intervals. Tyrosine hydroxylase and phospho-Jun immunoreactivities in the substantia nigra and striatum were observed 3 days after 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine injection.


RESULTS
Bee venom acupuncture prevented the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced loss of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra and striatum. Moreover, bee venom acupuncture attenuated 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced phospho-Jun immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that bee venom acupuncture effectively protected dopaminergic neurons against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine toxicity, possibly through inhibition of Jun activation. Our results suggest that bee venom acupuncture could be a potential preventive agent for Parkinson's disease.
Doo
Ah-Reum
AR
Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
Kim
Seung-Tae
ST
Kim
Seung-Nam
SN
Moon
Woongjun
W
Yin
Chang Shik
CS
Chae
Younbyoung
Y
Park
Hun-Kuk
HK
Lee
Hyejung
H
Park
Hi-Joon
HJ
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010300:Parkinson Disease; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D001514:Bee Venoms; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases