Group II metabotropic glutamate receptor activation protects striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals against MPP+-induced neurotoxicity along with brain-derived neurotrophic factor induction

J Neurochem. 2001 Jan;76(2):351-60. doi: 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2001.00056.x.

Abstract

We have studied the in vivo effect of the selective agonist for group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (2S, 2'R, 3'R)-2-(2'3'-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG-IV) against MPP+-induced toxicity on rat striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals by using both microdialysis and immunohistochemical techniques. Perfusion of 1 mM DCG-IV during 1 h protected dopaminergic nerve terminals against the degeneration induced by a 15-minute perfusion of 1 mM MPP+. In addition, the microglial cell population was markedly activated 24 h after DCG-IV perfusion. The astroglial cell population was only markedly activated around the microdialysis probe. This protective effect seems to be dependent on protein synthesis since 1 mM cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, abolished the neuroprotective effect of 1 mM DCG-IV against MPP+ toxicity. Perfusion of DCG-IV induced an upregulation of striatal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expressing cells which were confined precisely around the microdialysis probe. Taken together, our results suggest that the induction and release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by activated glial cells induced by DCG-IV perfusion may account for its protective action against MPP+-induced dopaminergic terminal degeneration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine
  • Animals
  • Benzoates / pharmacology
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / genetics
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / metabolism
  • Corpus Striatum / cytology
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism*
  • Cyclopropanes / pharmacology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dopamine / analysis
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Dopamine Agents
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Glycine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Glycine / pharmacology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • MPTP Poisoning / chemically induced
  • MPTP Poisoning / pathology
  • MPTP Poisoning / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Microdialysis
  • Microglia / drug effects
  • Microglia / metabolism
  • Microglia / pathology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Presynaptic Terminals / drug effects
  • Presynaptic Terminals / metabolism*
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / agonists
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / metabolism*

Substances

  • Benzoates
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Dopamine Agents
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
  • alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine
  • 2-(2,3-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine
  • 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine
  • Glycine
  • Dopamine