title: Alterations in TH- and ChAT-immunoreactive neurons in the DMV and gastric dysmotility in an LPS-induced PD rat model.
abstract: To study movement disorder in Parkinson's disease (PD), an animal model of PD can be created by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the substantia nigra of rats. In addition to body movement disorders, patients with PD often experience gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction, such as gastroparesis. However, the underlying mechanism of these disorders remains unclear. The dorsal motor nucleus of vagus (DMV) is a well-known visceral nucleus that regulates GI function. The present study investigated alterations in DMV neurons and gastric motility in rats with LPS-induced PD (LPS-PD rats). Gastric motility was recorded using a strain gauge force transducer in vivo. The distributions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)- and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-positive neurons in the DMV were determined using immunofluorescence and confocal laser microscopy. Our results indicated that in LPS-PD rats, the number of neurons in the substantia nigra, including neurons with TH immunoreactivity, was markedly reduced, although glial cell proliferation was clearly observed. However, enhanced TH immunoreactivity and decreased ChAT immunoreactivity were found in the DMV. Furthermore, weakened gastric motility was recorded in anesthetized LPS-PD rats. In conclusion, rats with LPS-induced PD exhibited gastric dysmotility with an alteration in DMV neurons. This PD model may be used to study autonomic nervous system disorders that are often observed in patients with early-stage PD.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration of Henan Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China; Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
authors.forename: Li-Fei
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chang-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Rui-Fang
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Qing-Qing
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jin-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D010302:Parkinson Disease, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase
keywords: Choline acetyltransferase; Dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus; Gastric motility; Lipopolysaccharide; Tyrosine hydroxylase