| 1. |
- af Bjerkén, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Noradrenaline is crucial for the substantia nigra dopaminergic cell maintenance
- 2019
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Ingår i: Neurochemistry International. - : Elsevier. - 0197-0186 .- 1872-9754. ; 131
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Parkinson's disease, degeneration of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons is accompanied by damage on other neuronal systems. A severe denervation is for example seen in the locus coerulean noradrenergic system. Little is known about the relation between noradrenergic and dopaminergic degeneration, and the effects of noradrenergic denervation on the function of the dopaminergic neurons of substantia nigra are not fully understood. In this study, N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP4) was injected in rats, whereafter behavior, striatal KCl-evoked dopamine and glutamate releases, and immunohistochemistry were monitored at 3 days, 3 months, and 6 months. Quantification of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase-immunoreactive nerve fiber density in the cortex revealed a tendency towards nerve fiber regeneration at 6 months. To sustain a stable noradrenergic denervation throughout the experimental timeline, the animals in the 6-month time point received an additional DSP4 injection (2 months after the first injection). Behavioral examinations utilizing rotarod revealed that DSP4 reduced the time spent on the rotarod at 3 but not at 6 months. KCl-evoked dopamine release was significantly increased at 3 days and 3 months, while the concentrations were normalized at 6 months. DSP4 treatment prolonged both time for onset and reuptake of dopamine release over time. The dopamine degeneration was confirmed by unbiased stereology, demonstrating significant loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra. Furthermore, striatal glutamate release was decreased after DSP4. In regards of neuroinflammation, reactive microglia were found over the substantia nigra after DSP4 treatment. In conclusion, long-term noradrenergic denervation reduces the number of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and affects the functionality of the nigrostriatal system. Thus, locus coeruleus is important for maintenance of nigral dopaminergic neurons.
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| 2. |
- El-Habta, Roine, et al.
(författare)
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N-acetylcysteine increases dopamine release and prevents the deleterious effects of 6-OHDA on the expression of VMAT2, α-synuclein, and tyrosine hydroxylase
- 2024
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Ingår i: Neurological Research. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0161-6412 .- 1743-1328. ; 46:5, s. 406-415
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Current treatments for Parkinson’s disease using pharmacological approaches alleviate motor symptoms but do not prevent neuronal loss or dysregulation of dopamine neurotransmission. In this article, we have explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effect of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the damaged dopamine system.Methods: SH-SY5Y cells were differentiated towards a dopaminergic phenotype and exposed to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to establish an in vitro model of Parkinson’s disease. We examined the potential of NAC to restore the pathological effects of 6-OHDA on cell survival, dopamine synthesis as well as on key proteins regulating dopamine metabolism. Specifically, we evaluated gene- and protein expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vesicle monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), and α-synuclein, by using qPCR and Western blot techniques. Moreover, we quantified the effect of NAC on total dopamine levels using a dopamine ELISA assay.Results: Our results indicate that NAC has a neuroprotective role in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to 6-OHDA by maintaining cell proliferation and decreasing apoptosis. Additionally, we demonstrated that NAC treatment increases dopamine release and protects SH-SY5Y cells against 6-OHDA dysregulations on the proteins TH, VMAT2, and α-synuclein.Conclusions: Our findings contribute to the validation of compounds capable to restore dopamine homeostasis and shed light on the metabolic pathways that could be targeted to normalize dopamine turnover. Furthermore, our results highlight the effectiveness of the antioxidant NAC in the prevention of dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the present model.
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| 3. |
- Johansson, Jarkko, et al.
(författare)
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Amphetamine-induced dopamine release in rat : Whole-brain spatiotemporal analysis with [11C]raclopride and positron emission tomography
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism. - : Sage Publications. - 0271-678X .- 1559-7016. ; 44:3, s. 434-445
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Whole-brain mapping of drug effects are needed to understand the neural underpinnings of drug-related behaviors. Amphetamine administration is associated with robust increases in striatal dopamine (DA) release. Dopaminergic terminals are, however, present across several associative brain regions, which may contribute to behavioral effects of amphetamine. Yet the assessment of DA release has been restricted to a few brain regions of interest. The present work employed positron emission tomography (PET) with [11C]raclopride to investigate regional and temporal characteristics of amphetamine-induced DA release across twenty sessions in adult female Sprague Dawley rats. Amphetamine was injected intravenously (2 mg/kg) to cause displacement of [11C]raclopride binding from DA D2-like receptors, assessed using temporally sensitive pharmacokinetic PET model (lp-ntPET). We show amphetamine-induced [11C]raclopride displacement in the basal ganglia, and no changes following saline injections. Peak occupancy was highest in nucleus accumbens, followed by caudate-putamen and globus pallidus. Importantly, significant amphetamine-induced displacement was also observed in several extrastriatal regions, and specifically in thalamus, insula, orbitofrontal cortex, and secondary somatosensory area. For these, peak occupancy occurred later and was lower as compared to the striatum. Collectively, these findings demonstrate distinct amphetamine-induced DA responses across the brain, and that [11C]raclopride-PET can be employed to detect such spatiotemporal differences.
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| 4. |
- Olmedo-Díaz, Sonia, et al.
(författare)
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An altered blood–brain barrier contributes to brain iron accumulation and neuroinflammation in the 6-OHDA rat model of Parkinson's disease
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neuroscience. - : Elsevier. - 0306-4522 .- 1873-7544. ; 362, s. 141-151
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Brain iron accumulation is a common feature shared by several neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease. However, what produces this accumulation of iron is still unknown. In this study, the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) hemi-parkinsonian rat model was used to investigate abnormal iron accumulation in substantia nigra. We investigated three possible causes of iron accumulation; a compromised blood-brain barrier (BBB), abnormal expression of ferritin, and neuroinflammation. We identified alterations in the BBB subsequent to the injection of 6-OHDA using gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Moreover, detection of extravasated IgG suggested that peripheral components are able to enter the brain through a leaky BBB. Presence of iron following dopamine cell degeneration was studied by MRI, which revealed hypointense signals in the substantia nigra. The presence of iron deposits was further validated in histological evaluations. Furthermore, iron inclusions were closely associated with active microglia and with increased levels of L-ferritin indicating a putative role for microglia and L-ferritin in brain iron accumulation and dopamine neurodegeneration.
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| 5. |
- Saa, Laura, et al.
(författare)
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Analytical applications of enzymatic growth of quantum dots
- 2010
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Ingår i: Chemistry - A European Journal. - : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 0947-6539 .- 1521-3765. ; 16:21, s. 6187-6192
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have developed an analytical assay to detect the enzymatic activity of acetylcholine esterase and alkaline phosphatase based on the generation of quantum dots by enzymatic products. Acetylcholine esterase converts acetylthiocholine into thiocholine. The latter enhances the rate of decomposition of sodium thiosulfate into H(2)S, which in the presence of cadmium sulfate yields CdS quantum dots showing a time dependent exponential growth, typical of autocatalytic processes. This assay was also applied to detect acetylcholine esterase inhibitors. Alkaline phosphatase hydrolyzes thiophosphate and yields H(2)S, which instantly reacts with Cd(2+) to give CdS quantum dots. The formation of CdS quantum dots in both reactions was followed by fluorescence spectroscopy and showed dependence on the concentration of enzyme and substrate.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Virel, Ana, et al.
(författare)
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A Comparative and Phylogenetic Analysis of the {alpha}-Actinin Rod Domain
- 2007
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Ingår i: Molecular Biology and Evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 24:10, s. 2254-65
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- -actinin is a ubiquitous actin-binding protein, composed of three domains; an actin-binding domain and a calcium-binding domain at the termini, connected by a rod domain composed by one, two or four spectrin repeats (SR). To understand how the rod domain has evolved during evolution we have analysed and compared the amino acid residue heterogeneity and phylogeny of the spectrin repeats of -actinins of vertebrates, invertebrates, fungus and several protozoa.The repeats of vertebrate -actinins show a high degree of similarity whereas repeats of invertebrates, fungi and, in particular, of protozoa are more divergent.In the phylogeny, SR1 of all species were clustered together, independent of the number of repeats in the protein. It was also obvious that the second and last repeat in fungi (SR2) grouped with the fourth and last repeat of vertebrates and invertebrates (SR4).Therefore the phylogeny implied that the rod domain of the cenancestral -actinin only contained one spectrin repeat. It was also obvious that SR2 of fungi are related to SR4 of vertebrates and invertebrates, implying that in the second intragenic duplication two repeats (i.e. what become SR2 and SR3) were inserted between the initial two repeats that become SR1 and SR4.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Virel, Ana, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of entamoeba histolytica alpha-actinin
- 2006
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Ingår i: Molecular and biochemical parasitology (Print). - Amsterdam : Elsevier/North-Holland. - 0166-6851 .- 1872-9428. ; 145:1, s. 11-17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have cloned, expressed and characterized a alpha-actinin-like protein of Entamoeba histolytica. Analysis of the primary structure reveals that the essential domains of the alpha-actinin protein family are conserved: an N-terminus actin-binding domain, a C-terminus calcium-binding domain and a central helical rod domain. However, the rod domain of this Entamoeba protein is considerably shorter than the rod domain in alpha-actinins of higher organisms. The cloned Entamoeba 63 kDa protein is recognized by conventional alpha-actinin antibodies as well as binds and cross-links filamentous actin and calcium ions in the same manner as alpha-actinins. Despite the shorter rod domain this protein has conserved the most important functions of alpha-actinins. Therefore, it is suggested that this 63 kDa protein is an atypical and ancestral alpha-actinin.
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