TRANSPLANTATION OF NEURAL STEM CELLS EXERTS DYNAMIC CHANGES OF DOPAMINE AND ITS METABOLITES IN STRIATUM OF MPTP-INDUCED PARKINSON'S RATS

Objective: Parkinson is defined as a disease caused by an extensive loss of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta in striatum. Therefore, the dynamic changes of DA and its metabolites in striatum of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's rats were explored by transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs). Methods: A total of 64 SD rats were randomly divided into four groups. Behavioral test was performed by rotarod test. Also the expression of tyrosine-hydroxylase (TH) mRNA and protein expression of choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) were analyzed. Simultane-ously, DA, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were detected. Results: The rotation rate of NSCs rats was significantly attenuated by behavorial test, demonstrating that transplantation of NSCs can relieve Parkinson symptom. The expression of TH mRNA and ChAT were increased induced by transplantation of NSCs. And by HPLC analysis the excretion of DA, DOPAC and HVA were increased in striatum of MPTP-induced Parkinson's rats. In brief, transplanting NSCs into PD rats could elevate the levels of TH mRNA, ChAT, DA and its metabolites promote the formation of dopa-minergic neurons. Conclusions: The content of DA which was an important neurotransmitter in striatum and its metabolites in MPTP-induced Parkinson's rats was elevated due to transplantation of NSCs.