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Neuroinflammation and α-synuclein dysfunction potentiate each other, driving chronic progression of neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gao, H-M; Zhang, F; Zhou, H; Kam, W; Wilson, B; Hong, J-S
Published in: Environ Health Perspect
June 2011

BACKGROUND: Mechanisms whereby gene-environment interactions mediate chronic, progressive neurodegenerative processes in Parkinson's disease (PD)-the second most common neurodegenerative disease-remain elusive. OBJECTIVE: We created a two-hit [neuroinflammation and mutant α-synuclein (α-syn) overexpression] animal model to investigate mechanisms through which mutant α-syn and inflammation work in concert to mediate chronic PD neurodegeneration. METHODS: We used an intraperitoneal injection of the inflammogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 3 × 106 EU/kg) to initiate systemic and brain inflammation in wild-type (WT) mice and transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing human A53T mutant α-syn. We then evaluated nigral dopaminergic neurodegeneration, α-syn pathology, and neuroinflammation. RESULTS: After LPS injection, both WT and Tg mice initially displayed indistinguishable acute neuroinflammation; however, only Tg mice developed persistent neuroinflammation, chronic progressive degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway, accumulation of aggregated, nitrated α-syn, and formation of Lewy body-like inclusions in nigral neurons. Further mechanistic studies indicated that 4-week infusion of two inhibitors of inducible nitric oxide synthase and NADPH oxidase, major free radical-generating enzymes in activated microglia, blocked nigral α-syn pathology and neurodegeneration in LPS-injected Tg mice. CONCLUSIONS: Microglia-derived oxidative stress bridged neuroinflammation and α-syn pathogenic alteration in mediating chronic PD progression. Our two-hit animal model involving both a genetic lesion and an environmental trigger reproduced key features of PD and demonstrated synergistic effects of genetic predisposition and environmental exposures in the development of PD. The chronic progressive nature of dopaminergic neurodegeneration, which is absent in most existing PD models, makes this new model invaluable for the study of mechanisms of PD progression.

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Published In

Environ Health Perspect

DOI

EISSN

1552-9924

Publication Date

June 2011

Volume

119

Issue

6

Start / End Page

807 / 814

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Toxicology
  • Substantia Nigra
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Onium Compounds
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Nerve Degeneration
  • NADPH Oxidases
 

Citation

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Gao, H.-M., Zhang, F., Zhou, H., Kam, W., Wilson, B., & Hong, J.-S. (2011). Neuroinflammation and α-synuclein dysfunction potentiate each other, driving chronic progression of neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Environ Health Perspect, 119(6), 807–814. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1003013
Gao, Hui-Ming, Feng Zhang, Hui Zhou, Wayneho Kam, Belinda Wilson, and Jau-Shyong Hong. “Neuroinflammation and α-synuclein dysfunction potentiate each other, driving chronic progression of neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.Environ Health Perspect 119, no. 6 (June 2011): 807–14. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1003013.
Gao, Hui-Ming, et al. “Neuroinflammation and α-synuclein dysfunction potentiate each other, driving chronic progression of neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.Environ Health Perspect, vol. 119, no. 6, June 2011, pp. 807–14. Pubmed, doi:10.1289/ehp.1003013.

Published In

Environ Health Perspect

DOI

EISSN

1552-9924

Publication Date

June 2011

Volume

119

Issue

6

Start / End Page

807 / 814

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Toxicology
  • Substantia Nigra
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Onium Compounds
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Nerve Degeneration
  • NADPH Oxidases