GSTπ expression mediates dopaminergic neuron sensitivity in experimental parkinsonism

The cause of 95% of Parkinson's disease (PD) cases is unknown. It is hypothesized that PD arises from an interaction of free-radical-generating agents with an underlying genetic susceptibility to these compounds. Here we use the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine model of parkinsonism to examine the role of a dual function protein, GST pi, in dopaminergic neuron death. GST pi is the only GST family member expressed in substantia nigra neurons. GST pi reduction by pharmacological blockade, RNA inhibition, and gene targeting increases sensitivity to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, suggesting that differential expression of GST pi contributes to the sensitivity to xenobiotics in the substantia nigra and may influence the pathogenesis of reactive oxygen species-induced neurological disorders including PD.