The effects of docosahexaenoic acid on glial derived neurotrophic factor and neurturin in bilateral rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

Abstract:Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder marked by cell death in the Substantia nigra (SN). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the major polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the phospholipid fraction of the brain and is required for normal cellular function. Glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neurturin (NTN) are very potent trophic factors for PD. The aim of the study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of GDNF and NTN by investigating their immunostaining levels after administration of DHA in a model of PD. For this reason we hypothesized that DHA administration of PD might alter GDNF, NTN expression in SN. MPTP neurotoxin that induces dopaminergic neurodegeneration was used to create the experimental Parkinsonism model. Rats were divided into; control, DHA-treated (DHA), MPTP-induced (MPTP), MPTP-induced+DHA-treated (MPTP+DHA) groups. Dopaminergic neuron numbers were clearly decreased in MPTP, but showed an increase in MPTP+DHA group. As a result of this, DHA administration protected dopaminergic neurons as shown by tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. In the MPTP+DHA group, GDNF, NTN immunoreactions in dopaminergic neurons were higher than that of the MPTP group. In conclusion, the characterization of GDNF and NTN will certainly help elucidate the mechanism of DHA action, and lead to better strategies for the use of DHA to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Evaluation of Diabetic Rats Behavior after Treatment by <i>Artemisia herba-alba</i> Relative to Insulin

“…While the BHT reveal the elevated depression state of diabetic rats in form of increasing the latency of first grooming episode (LFGE) from (205.9%) 350 s to (100%) 170 s; and the LFGE reduced to (76.5%) 130 s and (88.2%) 150 s in AHA and insulin respectively as shown in Figure 4, same result has been stated by Pires et al, [39] in the introduction section. The VPT revealed Figure 5 and Figure 6, ascertaining this fact the result obtained by Simmons et al, [32] and Tanriover et al, [32] [33]. The general improvement of the behavioral signs among diabetic rats after injection of AHA was ascribed to the new generation of β-cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas as confirmed in histological section done by Yahia et al [27].…”

“…The rats are placed head-up on a cloth-tape covered vertical pole (150 cm long, 3 cm in diameter); when placed on the pole, animals orient themselves downward and descend the length of the pole. Animals with deficits in motor coordination and balance will fall off the pole [32] [33]. Animal time to orient downward (t-turn), reflect of cognitive abilities and the total time the animals stays on the pole (t-total), reflect of motor coordination ability [34] are determined from video recordings for a maximum of 180 seconds.…”

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation induced by docosahexaenoic acid protects dopaminergic neurons in an experimental model of Parkinson’s disease

“…DHA is used at various concentrations (10-100 mg/kg/day) in neurobiological studies [31,32]. We used the dose we found to be effective but not toxic as shown in our previous studies [33,34].To identify successful implementation of PD in www.fhc.viamedica.pl animals behavioral tests, such as bradykinesia levels, locomotor activity and motor coordination must be performed. One of the commonly used tests for this purpose is the measurement of bradykinesia by a pole test.…”

Docosahexaenoic acid provides protective mechanism in bilaterally MPTP-lesioned rat model of Parkinson's disease

“…Rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups as follows: (1) control; (2) DHA-treated; (3) MPTP-induced; (4) MPTP-induced + DHA-treated. DHA (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) was dissolved in corn oil at a concentration of 0.046 M and was given to the treatment groups for 30 days (36 mg/kg/day) by gavage [28][29][30][31][32][33]. In order to eliminate the effects of daily gavage and vehicle, the control and MPTP-induced rats received a similar volume of corn oil alone.…”

“…To assay changes in the number of dopaminergic neurons in the SN, the total numbers of TH-stained neurons were counted independently by two observers blinded to the type and source of the tissues under a light microscope (40 × magnification) in six slides from each of the groups. The average of counts was used (data not shown) [33].…”