Platelet-derived growth factor-BB has neurorestorative effects and modulates the pericyte response in a partial 6-hydroxydopamine lesion mouse model of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease where the degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway leads to specific motor deficits. There is an unmet medical need for regenerative treatments that stop or reverse disease progression. Several growth factors have been investigated in clinical trials to restore the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway damaged in PD. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), a molecule that recruits pericytes to stabilize microvessels, was recently investigated in a phase-1 clinical trial, showing a dose-dependent increase in dopamine transporter binding in the putamen of PD patients. Interestingly, evidence is accumulating that PD is paralleled by microvascular changes, however, whether PDGF-BB modifies pericytes in PD is not known. Using a pericyte reporter mouse strain, we investigate the functional and restorative effect of PDGF-BB in a partial 6-hydroxydopamine medial forebrain bundle lesion mouse model of PD, and whether this restorative effect is accompanied by changes in pericyte features. We demonstrate that a 2-week treatment with PDGF-BB leads to behavioural recovery using several behavioural tests, and partially restores the nigrostriatal pathway. Interestingly, we find that pericytes are activated in the striatum of PD lesioned mice and that these changes are reversed by PDGF-BB treatment. The modulation of brain pericytes may contribute to the PDGF-BB-induced neurorestorative effects, PDGF-BB allowing for vascular stabilization in PD. Pericytes might be a new cell target of interest for future regenerative therapies.
Translational Neurology Group, Department of Clinical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden.
Thomas
T
Padel
Translational Neurology Group, Department of Clinical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden.
Ilknur
I
Özen
Translational Neurology Group, Department of Clinical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden.
Jordi
J
Boix
Translational Neurology Group, Department of Clinical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden.
Marco
M
Barbariga
Translational Neurology Group, Department of Clinical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden.
Abderahim
A
Gaceb
Translational Neurology Group, Department of Clinical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden.
Michaela
M
Roth
Translational Neurology Group, Department of Clinical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden; Department of Neurology, Scania University Hospital, 22185 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: gesine.paul-visse@med.lu.se.
Gesine
G
Paul
D000818:Animals; D000077214:Becaplermin; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008474:Medial Forebrain Bundle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020286:Pericytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D000077214:Becaplermin; D016627:Oxidopamine; D004298:Dopamine
6-Hydroxydopamine; Neurorestoration; Parkinson's disease; Pericyte; Platelet-derived growth factor-BB; Regulator of G protein signalling 5