title: Influence of simvastatin on dopaminergic neurons of lipopolysaccharide-induced rat model of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the neuroprotective effects of simvastatin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD) and the mechanisms involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hemiparkinsonian rat models were induced by stereotaxieal injection of LPS in the right substantia nigra compacta. After 2 weeks of simvastatin treatment, rotational behavior test was performed after the intraperitoneal injection of apomorphine. Expression of tyroxine hydroxylase (TH) and glial fibrillary acidic protein were analyzed through immunohistochemical staining of substantia nigra and striatum, and the level of TNF- α was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparing with untreated group, behavioral symptoms of the rats were significantly less in the rats that received simvastatin treatment. The TH positive cell count in substantia nigra and striatum were significantly increased (P<0.05) and TNF- α expression was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in simvastatin group compared to untreated group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simvastatin could effectively inhibit the activation of astrocytes, reduce TNF- α expression, and exert anti-inflammatory effects, and thus protect the dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and striatum of the rat model of PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College, Haikou 570102, China.
authors.forename: Tan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 43022, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Bin
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College, Haikou 570102, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wu
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 43022, China.
authors.forename: Pei-Pei
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College, Haikou 570102, China.
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College, Haikou 570102, China. Electronic address: chenzb3801@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhi-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. Electronic address: bstang7398@163.com.
authors.forename: Bei-Sha
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Tang
keywords: Lipopolysaccharide; Parkinson's disease; Simvastatin; Tumor necrosis factor–alpha; astrocyte