IMR Press / JIN / Volume 20 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2002030
Open Access Original Research
Behavioral characterization in MPTP/p mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
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1 Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Animal Behavior, College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 FOUR Program, Chonnam National University, 61186 Gwangju, South Korea
2 Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Jeju National University, 63243 Jeju, South Korea
*Correspondence: moonc@chonnam.ac.kr (Changjong Moon)
These authors contributed equally.
J. Integr. Neurosci. 2021, 20(2), 307–320; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.jin2002030
Submitted: 4 March 2021 | Revised: 25 March 2021 | Accepted: 31 March 2021 | Published: 30 June 2021
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Abstract

We evaluated the practicability of using the rarely utilized C57BL/6N mouse as a Parkinson’s disease model established via the acute MPTP/probenecid (MPTP/p) protocol. We confirmed dopaminergic degeneration in terms of decreased expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase in the substantia nigra and striatum of MPTP/p-lesioned mice. In addition, acute MPTP/p-lesioned mice demonstrated initial motor dysfunctions followed by spontaneous recovery. Interestingly, these MPTP/p-lesioned mice exhibited anxiolytic and antidepressive behaviors upon recovery from these motor deficits. Additionally, increased expression of norepinephrine transporters in several brain regions, including the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and striatum, and an elevated rate of adult neurogenesis (in terms of increased numbers of doublecortin-positive neuroblasts) in the hippocampus were observed after recovery from motor dysfunctions. We suggest that the emotional alterations observed under these experimental conditions may be associated with enhanced adult neurogenesis, increased levels of norepinephrine transporters, and/or a possible interplay between these two factors. Consequently, this acute MPTP/p model adequately satisfies the criteria for the validity of a Parkinson’s disease model regarding dopaminergic loss and motor impairment. However, the non-motor findings may offer novel evidence against the practicability of utilizing the acute MPTP/p-lesioned mice for modeling the emotional aberrations found in Parkinson’s disease patients.

Keywords
Brain regions
Motor symptom
Neurogenesis
Norepinephrine transporter
Non-motor symptom
Parkinson's disease
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