A New Tool to Study Parkinsonism in the Context of Aging: MPTP Intoxication in a Natural Model of Multimorbidity

Abstract

The diurnal rodent Octodon degus (O. degus) is considered an attractive natural model for Alzheimer’s disease and other human age-related features. However, it has not been explored so far if the O. degus could be used as a model to study Parkinson’s disease. To test this idea, 10 adult male O. degus were divided into control group and MPTP-intoxicated animals. Motor condition and cognition were examined. Dopaminergic degeneration was studied in the ventral mesencephalon and in the striatum. Neuroinflammation was also evaluated in the ventral mesencephalon, in the striatum and in the dorsal hippocampus. MPTP animals showed significant alterations in motor activity and in visuospatial memory. Postmortem analysis revealed a significant decrease in the number of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral mesencephalon of MPTP animals, although no differences were found in their striatal terminals. We observed a significant increase in neuroinflammatory responses in the mesencephalon, in the striatum and in the hippocampus of MPTP-intoxicated animals. Additionally, changes in the subcellular expression of the calcium-binding protein S100β were found in the astrocytes in the nigrostriatal pathway. These findings prove for the first time that O. degus are sensitive to MPTP intoxication and, therefore, is a suitable model for experimental Parkinsonism in the context of aging.

Coenzyme Q10: A Biomarker in the Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonian Syndromes

“…PS as a direct consequence of mitochondrial damage has been observed in the MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) toxin-induced model of PD which inhibits the RC complex I. A similar mechanism has been hypothesized in the Guadeloupean endemic parkinsonism after the consumption of annonacin [25][26][27].…”

Neurobiology of Parkinson’s Disease

“…In the Special Issue, a new tool to study Parkinsonism is also described in the context of aging using the rodent Octodon degus, which is a natural model of multimorbidity. Cuenca-Bermejo et al [ 9 ] describe how MPTP intoxication affects Octodon degus, an attractive natural model for Alzheimer’s disease and other human age-related features, and reports how this rodent is sensitive to MPTP intoxication and could, therefore, be considered a suitable model for experimental Parkinsonism in the context of aging.…”