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DEGENERATION OF CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL NORADRENALINE NEURONS PRODUCED BY 6‐HYDROXY‐DOPA
Author(s) -
Sachs Charlotte,
Jonsson G.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1972.tb05100.x
Subject(s) - nialamide , dopamine , monoamine oxidase , chemistry , endogeny , norepinephrine , medicine , central nervous system , endocrinology , degeneration (medical) , biogenic amine , monoamine neurotransmitter , substantia nigra , dopaminergic , neurotransmitter , biology , biochemistry , serotonin , enzyme , receptor , pathology
—The effects of systemically administered 2,4,5‐trihydroxyphenylalanine (6‐OH‐DOPA) on endogenous noradrenaline, [ 3 H]amine uptake and fluorescence morphology has been investigated in mouse brain, heart and iris. 6‐OH‐DOPA in a dose of 100 mg/kg intraperitoneally caused practically no changes in these parameters. Pretreatment with a potent monoamine oxidase inhibitor (nialamide) led to a pronounced long‐lasting 6‐OH‐DOPA induced reduction in endogenous noradrenaline, [ 3 H]amine uptake and nerve density of noradrenaline nerve terminals both in the central and peripheral nervous system. Histochemically accumulations of noradrenaline were observed in non‐terminal axons. These results strongly support the view that 6‐OH‐DOPA can produce degeneration of both central and peripheral noradrenaline neurons. The degeneration is mediated by decarboxylation of 6‐OH‐DOPA to 6‐OH‐DA, since the effects could be abolished by decarboxylase inhibition. The effect of 6‐OH‐DOPA was selective on noradrenaline neurons in the brain, since neither 5‐hydroxytryptamine nor dopamine neurons were affected, opening up new possibilities for studies on central noradrenaline transmitter mechanisms. In the brain there were pronounced accumulations of noradrenaline in the ascending noradrenaline axons making 6‐OH‐DOPA a powerful tool in the mapping of central noradrenaline pathways.