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Involvement of Nitric Oxide in Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic System Degeneration
Author(s) -
Di Matteo Vincenzo,
Pierucci Massimo,
Benigno Arcangelo,
Crescimanno Giuseppe,
Esposito Ennio,
Di Giovanni Giuseppe
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2008.03678.x
Subject(s) - neurodegeneration , neuroprotection , dopaminergic , nitric oxide , molsidomine , parkinson's disease , dopamine , nigrostriatal pathway , pharmacology , chemistry , degeneration (medical) , neuroscience , medicine , substantia nigra , disease , psychology , pathology
The present study was undertaken to explore the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in the 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) experimental model of Parkinson's disease (PD) in rats. The effect of pharmacological manipulation of the NO system was evaluated on striatal dopamine (DA) level decrease produced by the toxin. 7‐nitroindazole (7‐NI, 50 mg/kg i.p.; n = 5) pretreatment significantly restored the striatal DA contents. Conversely, 40 mg/kg i.p. of molsidomine (MOL, n = 5), an NO donor, significantly worsened the neurodegeneration ( n = 5) and completely counteracted the neuroprotective effect of 7‐NI ( n = 5). Thus, a crucial role for NO in 6‐OHDA induced neurodegeneration is suggested together with a protective benefit for inhibitors of NOS in the treatment of PD.