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Differential activation of PKCδ in the substantia nigra of rats following striatal or nigral 6‐hydroxydopamine lesions
Author(s) -
Hanrott Katharine,
Murray Tracey K.,
Orfali Zeina,
Ward Mark,
Finlay Clare,
O'Neill Michael J.,
Wonnacott Susan
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06097.x
Subject(s) - substantia nigra , pars compacta , hydroxydopamine , protein kinase c , striatum , nigrostriatal pathway , neurodegeneration , endocrinology , medicine , chemistry , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , dopamine , kinase , dopaminergic , disease
Parkinsonian neurodegeneration is associated with heightened levels of oxidative stress and the activation of apoptotic pathways. In an in vitro cellular model, we reported that 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) induces apoptotic cell death via the induction of mitochondrial dysfunction, the activation of caspase 3 and the consequent proteolytic activation of the redox‐sensitive kinase, protein kinase C (PKC)δ, in PC12 cells. Here we have investigated the involvement of PKCδ in 6‐OHDA‐induced cell death in vivo . The nigrostriatal pathway of rats was lesioned by unilateral infusion of 6‐OHDA into either the striatum or substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Infusion into the SNpc resulted in rapid loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐positive cells (87% decrease after 4 days), consistent with a necrotic‐like mode of cell death. In contrast, striatal infusion initiated a slower, progressive decline in TH immunoreactivity (25% decrease in the SNpc after 4 days); cell appearance was characteristic of apoptosis. This is consistent with a transient increase in active caspase 3 immunoreactivity at 4 days post‐infusion, and a concomitant proteolytic activation of PKCδ in the SNpc of striatal‐lesioned rats. Cleavage of PKCδ did not occur in the striatum or cerebellum of lesioned animals, or in the SNpc of sham‐operated controls. No increase in caspase 3 immunoreactivity or proteolytic activation of PKCδ was detected in nigral‐lesioned rats. These results suggest that after 6‐OHDA infusion into the striatum, retrograde neurotoxicity induces caspase 3‐dependent PKCδ proteolytic activation in the cell bodies of the SNpc, implicating this kinase in the neurodegenerative process.