Korean J Anat.  1999 Jun;32(3):421-424.

The Effect of MPTP on Movement and TH-immunoreactive Neuronal Changes of C57BL/6 Mice in Relation to Aging

• Kim JW
• Baek SY
• Yoon HW

Abstract

The effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) on movement and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive (ir) neuronal changes in young (5~6 weeks) and aged (10~12 months) C57BL/6 mice were studied. Locomotor activity was measured during 180 minutes after a single injection of 30 mg/kg of MPTP. For immunohistochemistry both young and aged mice were injected four repeated dosages of 10 mg/kg of MPTP 12 hours apart. We counted the numbers of TH-ir cell bodies using immunohistochemical technique in substantia nigra (SN), ventral tegmental area (VTA) and locus ceruleus (LC) 7 days after the last injection of MPTP. There was a marked decrease of locomotor activity in MPTP-treated young and aged mice, and a delay in recovery of locomotor activity in MPTP-treated aged mice. In young mice, there was a decrease in the number of TH-ir cell bodies in the SN of young mice, but not in VTA or LC. In aged mice, there was a significant decrease in the number of TH-ir cell bodies in VTA as well as SN. It was concluded that aged mice were more sensitive to MPTP than young mice, and MPTP-treated aged mice a more useful animal model for studing the characteristics of Parkinson's disease.

Keyword

Parkinson's disease; MPTP; C57BL/6 mice; tyrosine hydroxlase

MeSH Terms

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine*
Aging*
Animals
Immunohistochemistry
Locus Coeruleus
Mice*
Models, Animal
Motor Activity
Neurons*
Parkinson Disease
Substantia Nigra
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
Ventral Tegmental Area
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase