Inosine is neuroprective against MPTPª²induced Parkinson¬ðs disease in C57BL mice

    YAO Qingª²He£¬ GAO Guoª²Dong

    Department of Neurosurgery,Tangdu Hospital,Fourth Military Medical University,Xi¬ðan 710038,China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the neuroprotective effects of inosine on 1ª²methylª²4ª²phenylª²1,2,3,6ª²tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)ª²induced Parkinson¬ðs disease(PD) in C57BL mice. METHODS: The PD models were formed with intraperitoneal injections of MPTP. Inosine was administered intraperitoneally to mice 30 min prior to MPTP. The effects of inosine and MPTP on the behavioral exhibition, the number of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra and the density of tyrosine hydroxylaseª²immunoreactive (THª²ir) nerve fibers in the striatum, and the level of DA in the striatum were studied by behavioral test, immunohistochemical analysis and fluorospectrophotometry. RESULTS: The scores of locomotion, Rotarod and swim test decreased by about 45% and 43% and 22%, respectively. The number of DA neurons in the substantia nigra declined by about 58%, the density of THª²ir nerve fibers also decreased, and the level of DA in the striatum declined by about 88%. Inosine, given prior to MPTP, attenuated the effects of MPTP. The scores of locomotion, Rotarod and swim test declined only by about 5% and 11% and 12%, respectively, the number of DA neurons in the substantia nigra declined by only about 43% and the level of DA in the striatum declined only by about 71%. CONCLUSION: Inosine is neuroprective against MPTPª²induced lesions in C57BL mice. ......