The administration of reaferon, a recombinant a-interferon preparation, hampers the development of parkinsonism caused by MPTP administration in C57B1/6 mice.
Key Words: MPTP; parkinsonism; reaferonImmunological processes have been found to play an important role in the mechanisms of development of parkinsonism caused by MPTP administration, as was established previously in experiments in C57B1/6 mice. It was shown that adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from mice with pronounced parkinsonian symptoms to healthy mice caused the main parkinsonian symptom, oligokinesia, to develop in the latter [3]. In view of the fact that lymphokines are regulators of the immune system, a study of their effect on the development and course of parkinsonism is of undoubted interest. One of these immunoregulatory lymphokines, a-interferon, participates in the modification of different immune reactions. It regulates the immune response, inhibits antibody production, and boosts the activity of natural killers [4]. In addition, the recently discovered neurotropic activity of ~-interferon is now being actively studied [5]. Data have been obtained indicating that a-interferon can modify the effect of administered substances by directly interacting with opiate receptors [1,6]. These properties of a-interferon underlie the assumption that it may prevent the development of parkinsonism. In the present Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow study the effect of reaferon (RF), a recombinant ainterferon preparation, on the origin and development of parkinsonian symptoms caused by systemic administration of MPTP was studied in C57B1/6 mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODSExperiments were carried out on male C57B1/6 mice aged 10 months weighing initially 25-30 g. Parkinsonism was simulated by administration of the neurotoxin MPTP [7]. Immediately before the experiment MPTP was dissolved in physiological saline and then injected into animals at 20 mg/kg body weight twice a day at 12-hour intervals during 6 days.Manifestation of the main parkinsonian symptoms, namely of oligokinesia and muscle rigidity, indicated the presence and characterized the development of parkinsonism. Oligokinesia was assessed from 3-min locomotor activity of animals in an automated test using AutoTrack software in the Opto-Varimex system (Columbus Instruments). Muscle rigidity, displayed in a decrease of the neck --to-tail linear measurement, was assessed in points (1-3). In addition, the speed of movement (in cm/ sec) was calculated on the basis of the distance covered and the time of movement. The locomotor activity was recorded twice: before MPTP adminis-
