title: Early prenatal exposure to MPTP does not affect nigrostrial neurons in macaque monkey.
abstract: The discovery of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a toxin that induces parkinsonism in both human and primate, has prompted the search for environmental toxins potentially responsible for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study reports the ultimate effects of MPTP intoxication of a female macaque monkey, which unraveled to be pregnant after parkinsonism had developed, upon its fetus. Detailed examination of the offpsring nigrostriatal pathway showed that tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in caudate-putamen nuclei and substantia nigra compacta (SNc) was not different from an age-matched control. Biochemical analysis of the tissue content of dopaminergic markers further suggested modification of metabolism in the MPTP-exposed monkey. These data suggest that early prenatal intoxication does not destroy nigrostriatal neurons, most likely because dopamine neurons had not developed yet when exposed to MPTP.
authors.affiliation: Université De Bordeaux, Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.|Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bourdenx
authors.affiliation: Université De Bordeaux, Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.|Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dovero
authors.affiliation: Université De Bordeaux, Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.|Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Deurwaerdère
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.|Motac Neuroscience, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Université De Bordeaux, Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.|Institut Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS, Bordeaux, UMR 5293, France.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.|Motac Neuroscience, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bezard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000473:pathology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000473:pathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
keywords: MPTP; Rhesus monkey; high-performance liquid chromatography; immunohistochemistry; in utero; neurodegeneration