Overexpressing Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase enhances survival of transplanted neurons in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

• A high survival rate of grafted dopamine neurons is crucial for reversing neurological deficits following brain tissue transplantation in Parkinson's disease. For unknown reasons the survival rate of transplanted dopamine neurons is only around 10% in experimental animals. The hypothesis that oxidative stress causes the loss of transplanted neurons was tested by grafting neurons from transgenic mice that overexpress Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase. Compared with the survival of those taken from non-transgenic littermates, the survival was 4 times higher for the transgenic dopamine neurons with a concomitant more extensive functional recovery. The results provide direct support for the free radical hypothesis of dopaminergic neuron death in brain tissue grafting.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Amphetamines

Animals

Disease Models, Animal

Female

Gene Expression

Graft Survival

Mesencephalon

Mice

Mice, Transgenic

Parkinson Disease

RNA, Messenger

Rats

Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Stereotyped Behavior

Substantia Nigra

Superoxide Dismutase

Transplantation, Heterologous

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)