title: [The effect of cyclooxygenase-2 on dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease mice induced by MPTP].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Using Strain C57/BL of COX-2 deficient mice, the effect of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) on dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease (PD) mice induced by intraperitoneal injections of MPTP-HCl were investigated by immunocytochemistry(ICC) .
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the mortality in COX-2 heterozygous mice is much lower than that in wild type mice (P < 0.01) after injection of MPTP (30 mg/kg/day). The result of semiquantitative immunocytochemical staining showed that the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) declined more significantly in MPTP-treated wild type mice than that in COX-2 heterozygotes mice (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COX-2 may be related with lesion of dopaminergic neurons in the SNc of PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027, China.
authors.forename: Dong-dong
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wan-qin
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhe-hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000172:deficiency*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C077623:Ptgs2 protein, mouse; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2