Pleiotrophin over-expression provides trophic support to dopaminergic neurons in parkinsonian rats

IRENE RE TARAVINI; MARIELA CHERTOFF; EDUARDO CAFFERATTA; JOSÉ COURTY; MARIO G MURER; FERNANDO J PITOSSI; OSCAR GERSHANIK

MOLECULAR NEURODEGENERATION

BIOMED CENTRAL LTD

Año: 2011 vol. 6 p. 40 - 52

1750-1326

Background: Pleiotrophin is known to promote the survival and differentiation of dopaminergic neurons in vitroPleiotrophin is known to promote the survival and differentiation of dopaminergic neurons in vitro and is up-regulated in the substantia nigra of Parkinson’s disease patients. To establish whether pleiotrophin has a trophic effect on nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in vivo, we injected a recombinant adenovirus expressing pleiotrophin in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats. pleiotrophin in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats. trophic effect on nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in vivo, we injected a recombinant adenovirus expressing pleiotrophin in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats. pleiotrophin in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats. substantia nigra of Parkinson’s disease patients. To establish whether pleiotrophin has a trophic effect on nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in vivo, we injected a recombinant adenovirus expressing pleiotrophin in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats. pleiotrophin in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats. in vivo, we injected a recombinant adenovirus expressing pleiotrophin in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats.substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats. Results: The viral vector induced pleiotrophin over-expression by astrocytes in the substantia nigra pars compacta, without modifying endogenous neuronal expression. The percentage of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells as well as the area of their projections in the lesioned striatum was higher in pleiotrophin-treated animals than in controls. without modifying endogenous neuronal expression. The percentage of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells as well as the area of their projections in the lesioned striatum was higher in pleiotrophin-treated animals than in controls. The viral vector induced pleiotrophin over-expression by astrocytes in the substantia nigra pars compacta, without modifying endogenous neuronal expression. The percentage of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells as well as the area of their projections in the lesioned striatum was higher in pleiotrophin-treated animals than in controls. Conclusions: These results indicate that pleiotrophin over-expression partially rescues tyrosine hydroxylaseimmunoreactive cell bodies and terminals of dopaminergic neurons undergoing 6-hydroxydopamine-induced degeneration cell bodies and terminals of dopaminergic neurons undergoing 6-hydroxydopamine-induced degeneration These results indicate that pleiotrophin over-expression partially rescues tyrosine hydroxylaseimmunoreactive cell bodies and terminals of dopaminergic neurons undergoing 6-hydroxydopamine-induced degeneration