title: Lipoic acid protects dopaminergic neurons in LPS-induced Parkinson's disease model.
abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons, which is thought to be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Recent findings suggest that neuroinflammation may be a pathogenic factor in the onset and progression of sporadic PD. Here we explore the potential therapeutic effect of lipoic acid (LA) on a lipolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory PD model. Our results for the first time showed that LA administration improved motor dysfunction, protected dopaminergic neurons loss, and decreased α-synuclein accumulation in the substantia nigra (SN) area of brain. Further, LA inhibited the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and expression of pro-inflammatory molecules in M1 microglia. Taken together, these results suggest that LA may exert a profound neuroprotective effect and is thus a promising anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-oxidative agent for halting the progression of PD. Interventions aimed at either blocking microglia-derived inflammatory mediators or modulating the polarization of microglia may be potentially useful therapies that are worth further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Science, Medical School, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jie-zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chun-yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong-zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang-Xian
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bao-guo
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Cun-gen
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008063:Thioctic Acid