title: [The protective effect of nicotine on dopaminergic neuron of Parkinson's disease mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the protective effect of nicotine on dopaminergic neurons and its mechanisms in mice with Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6J mice were injected with MPTP for 8 days to establish PD model. Nicotine was given for 10 days in the pretreatment group. Animals were examined behaviorally with the pole test and traction test. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were investigated by the immunocytochemistry (ICC) method. The ultrastructural changes of caudate nucleus(CN) were observed by electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that pretreatment nicotine could improve the dyskinesia of PD mice markedly. Simultaneously, TH (P < 0.01) neurons and GABA (P < 0.05) neurons were much more in the pretreatment group when compared with those in the model group. The ultrastructural injury of the pretreatment group was also ameliorated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nicotine has a protective effect on the dopaminergic neurons in the MPTP-treated mice.
authors.affiliation: Deparrncnt of Physiology, Dulian Medical University, Dalian 116027, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: De-qin
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yan-hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Dong-mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wan-qin
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D009538:Nicotine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase