Systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment may affect methamphetamine (MA)-induced nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) depletion. This study was undertaken to determine the critical time window for the protective effects of LPS treatment and the underlying mechanisms. An LPS injection (1 mg/kg) 72 h before or 2 h after MA treatment [three consecutive, subcutaneous injections of MA (10 mg/kg each) at 2-h intervals] diminished the MA-induced DA depletion in mouse striatum. Such an LPS-associated effect was independent of MA-produced hyperthermia. TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 expressions were all elevated in striatal tissues following a systemic injection with LPS, indicating that peripheral LPS treatment affected striatal pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Striatal TNF-alpha expression was dramatically increased at 72 and 96 h after the MA treatment, while such TNF-alpha elevation was abolished by the LPS pretreatment protocol. Moreover, MA-produced activation of nuclear NFkappaB, a transcription factor following TNF-alpha activation, in striatum was abolished by the LPS (1 mg/kg) pretreatment. Furthermore, thalidomide, a TNF-alpha antagonist, treatment abolished the LPS pretreatment-associated protective effects. Pretreatment with mouse recombinant TNF-alpha in striatum diminished the MA-produced DA depletion. Finally, single LPS treatment caused a rapid down-regulation of dopamine transporter (DAT) in striatum. Taken together, we conclude that peripheral LPS treatment protects nigrostriatal DA neurons against MA-induced toxicity, in part, by reversing elevated TNF-alpha expression and subsequent signaling cascade and causing a rapid DAT down-regulation in striatum.

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We suggest that long-term treatments with MAO-B inhibitors may decrease cocaine-supported operant responses in cocaine-naïve mice by selectively decreasing frontal cortical metabolism of dopamine and serotonin.

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