Journal
NEUROSCIENCE
Volume 153, Issue 3, Pages 634-644Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.02.033
Keywords
tyrosine hydroxylase; dopamine transporter; 6-hydroxydopamine; 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1;2;3;6-tetrahydropyridine; dopamine
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that is often associated with various gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. The link between the alteration of dopaminergic system and the symptoms of the GI tract in PD is complicated. To determine the changes in the dopaminergic system in the GI tract in PD, two kinds of rodent PD models were used in the present study. One was 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) -treated rats in which 6-OHDA was microinjected in the bilateral substantia nigra (SN). The other was 1 -methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) -treated mice in which MPTP was injected intraperitoneally. Immunofluorescence, reverse transcription (RT)-real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot were used to evaluate and compare the levels of mRNA and protein expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) in the GI tract between normal and rodent PD models, as well as between 6-OHDA-treated rats and MPTP-treated mice. The results indicated that TH- and DAT-positive cells were widely distributed in the GI tract. There were significant differences in TH and DAT expression in the GI tract between normal and PD models, as well as between 6-OHDA-treated rats and MPTP-treated mice. The protein levels of TH and DAT in the GI tract were significantly increased in 6-OHDA-treated rats, but the protein level of TH was significantly decreased in MPTP-treated mice. In addition, there was visible atrophy of gastric epithelial parietal cells in MPTP-treated mice, although the protein level of DAT was not significantly changed. The different alterations of dopaminergic system in the GI tract of the two kinds of PD models might underline the differences in GI symptoms in PD patients and might be correlated with the disease severity and disease process affecting the GI tract. (c) 2008 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available