title: The role of calcium channel blockers and resveratrol in the prevention of paraquat-induced parkinsonism in Drosophila melanogaster: a locomotor analysis.
abstract: Studies have suggested that neuronal loss in Parkinson's disease (PD) could be related to the pacemaker activity of the substantia nigra pars compacta generated by L-type Ca(v) 1.3 calcium channels, which progressively substitute voltage-dependent sodium channels in this region during aging. Besides this mechanism, which leads to increases in intracellular calcium, other factors are also known to play a role in dopaminergic cell death due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Thus, dihydropyridines, a class of calcium channel blockers, and resveratrol, a polyphenol that presents antioxidant properties, may represent therapeutic alternatives for the prevention of PD. In the present study, we tested the effects of the dihydropyridines, isradipine, nifedipine, and nimodipine and of resveratrol upon locomotor behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. As previously described, paraquat induced parkinsonian-like motor deficits. Moreover, none of the drugs tested were able to prevent the motor deficits produced by paraquat. Additionally, isradipine, nifedipine, resveratrol, and ethanol (vehicle), when used in isolation, induced motor deficits in flies. This study is the first demonstration that dyhidropyridines and resveratrol are unable to reverse the locomotor impairments induced by paraquat in Drosophila melanogaster.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Avenida Ipiranga, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pamela Brambilla
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Bagatini
authors.forename: Lisiani
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saur
authors.forename: Mariana Freitas
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Guilherme Cardoso
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Bernardino
authors.forename: Mariana Fontoura
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Paim
authors.forename: Guilherme Peres
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Daniele Vieira da
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Raquel Mattos
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.forename: André Arigony
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Souto
authors.forename: Mônica Ryff Moreira Roca
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vianna
authors.forename: Léder Leal
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Xavier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000378:metabolism; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D010269:Paraquat; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D013267:Stilbenes; D010269:Paraquat; D000077185:Resveratrol; D004298:Dopamine