TITLE:
Involvement of CRH Receptors in the Neuroprotective Action of R-Apomorphine in the Striatal 6-OHDA Rat Model
AUTHORS:
Mustafa Varçin, Eduard Bentea, Steven Roosens, Yvette Michotte, Sophie Sarre
KEYWORDS:
Apomorphine; Gene Expression; Inflammation; Neuroprotection; Parkinson’s Disease; Striatal 6-Hydroxydopamine Rat Model
JOURNAL NAME:
Neuroscience and Medicine,
Vol.4 No.4,
December
27,
2013
ABSTRACT: The dopamine D1-D2
receptor agonist, R-apomorphine, has been shown to be neuroprotective in different models of Parkinson’s
disease. Different mechanisms of action for this effect have been proposed, but
not verified in the striatal 6-hydroxydopamine rat model. In this study, the
expression of a set of genes involved in 1) signaling, 2) growth and
differentiation, 3) neuronal regeneration and survival, 4) apoptosis and 5)
inflammation in the striatum was measured after a subchronic R-apomorphine
treatment (10 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously, during 11 days) in the striatal
6-hydroxydopamine rat
model. The expression of 84 genes was analysed by using the rat neurotrophins and
receptors RT2 ProfilerTM PCR array. The neuroprotective effects of
R-apomorphine in the striatal 6-hydroxydopamine model were confirmed by
neurochemical and behavioural analysis. The expression data suggest the observed
neuroprotection involved the alteration of the gene and the protein expression levels of the
anti-inflammatory corticotropin releasing hormone
receptor (CRHR) 1
and the pro-inflammatory CRHR2 receptor confirming its potential
anti-inflammatory action.