Changes of Dopaminergic Neurons in Parkinson's Rat Model after Fetal Striatal Transplantation

Kim, Young Soo; Chung, Sang Sup

Abstract

The strategies of the transplantation of fetal brain tissue for the neurodegenerative disease have been studied. Clinical trials on the transfer of the neurons of other cells compensating for the lost neurons are undergoing in Parkinson's disease. The treatment with neurotrophic factors may prevent "stressed" neurons from dying, and stimulate nerve terminal regeneration from remaining neurons. Recently, the development of the partially injured Parkinson's rat model which would mimic the pattern of cell loss in human Parkinson's disease may permit the exmination of experimental manipulations that promoted sprouting of axons of the surviving dopaminergic neurons. Author investigated the changes of remaining dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra of partially lesioned Parkinson's rat model after transplantation of fetal stiratal graft. As results, the number of remaining neurons in substantia nigra of transplantation group was not significantly different from that of control group, but shape, neuronal processes of remaining neruons and axons in transplantation group were less injured than those in control group. Tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive positive neurons in transplantation group in which fetal graft was implanted into SN area sprouted their axons into fetal graft. Apomorphine-induced rotation in transplantation group was decreased comparing with pretransplantation state, and was significantly different from the control group. These results suggest that the fetal striatal graft may prevent the progressive degeneration and/or induce the generation of injured dopaminergic neurons. Further research should be pursued to explain this findings.