This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY).
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Dopamine and serotonin metabolism in the striatum of the chronic parkinson's disease mouse model
1 National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow, Russia
2 Russian Сenter of Neurology and Neurosciences, Moscow, Russia
Correspondence should be addressed: Anelya Kh. Alieva
pl. Academika Kurchatova, 2, str. 1, 123182, Moscow, Russia; ur.xednay@gmi.ha-aveila
Funding: the study was conducted within the framework of performing the state task for the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" (topic 5F.5.9).
Author contribution: Rudenok MM — modeling, material collection, experimental data analysis, manuscript writing; Semenova EI, Rybolovlev IN, Partevian SA, Lukashevich MV — modeling, material collection; Abaimov DA — metabolite analysis, data acquisition; Slominsky PA, Shadrina MI, Alieva AKh — experimental concept, experimental data analysis, manuscript writing.
Compliance with ethical standards: the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" (protocol No. 1 dated January 16, 2024) was strictly compliant with the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines and 3R (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) principles.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, the key pathogenetic feature of which is considered to be the degeneration nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and the decrease in striatal dopamine (DA) levels. The study aimed to assess the dynamic changes in the levels of DA, serotonin, and their main metabolites in the striatum of C57BL/6 mice with the chronic toxic PD model induced by administration of multiple doses of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) combined with probenecid. The use of such modeling protocol enables simulation of the long-lasting neurochemical alterations similar to the slow progressive course of the disease in humans. Neurotransmitters and their metabolites were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The study results demonstrate the decrease in the total DA metabolism in both axon terminals and the synaptic cleft during early neurodegeneration typical for PD. The most pronounced decrease in the levels of DA and its metabolite DOPAC was observed a week after the course of MPTP/ probenecid injections: it was 36% and 32% of the control level, respectively. It is noteworthy that the DA and DOPAC levels remained decreased throughout 3 months and were restored to the control level as late as 6 months after the end of the course of MPTP/probenecid injections. In general, the model presented makes it possible to extend the window of neurodegenerative alteration manifestation to 3 months. The data obtained once again demonstrate a complex pattern of the effects of neurodegenerative and compensatory processes occurring at the earliest stages of neurodegeneration in PD.
Keywords: Parkinson's disease, dopamine, serotonin, MPTP, toxic model, DOPAC, 3-methoxytyramine, homovanillic acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT