Rescue of Dying Neurons by (R)-Deprenyl in the MPTP-Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease Does Not Include Restoration of Neostriatal Dopamine
Chronic (8- to 10-week) administration of the selective, potent, and irreversible monoamine oxidase B inhibitor (R)-deprenyl has been shown to increase the tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra of mice that had been treated three days earlier with a neurotoxic dose of the parkinsonian-inducing agent 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). This reported rescuing of lesioned nigrostriatal cell bodies by (R)-deprenyl prompted us to investigate if this (R)-deprenyl treatment also could restore neostriatal dopamine levels that are depleted by MPTP. The results of these experiments show that long term (8 or 10 weeks) treatment with (R)-deprenyl beginning three days post MPTP administration did not result in restoration of depleted neostriatal dopamine levels in C57BL/6 mice. We conclude that, although (R)-deprenyl may rescue MPTP-injured nigrostriatal neurons, it does not lead to functional recovery of these neurons as measured by the restoration of neostriatal dopamine levels.
(r)-deprenyl mptp parkinson's disease dopamine monoamine oxidase neuroprotection c57bl/6 mouse regeneration spontaneous recovery neuronal rescue