Failure of estrogen to protect the substantia nigra pars compacta of female rats from lesion induced by 6-hydroxydopamine

Brain Res. 2003 Oct 3;986(1-2):200-5. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(03)03198-6.

Abstract

The immunostaining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) after intranigral infusion of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 6 microg/side) was analyzed in ovariectomized adult female Wistar rats. Estrogen replacement for 52 days (400-microg 17-beta-estradiol capsules) did not prevent the loss of TH-immunoreactive cells induced by 6-OHDA in the SNpc. This result indicates that the neuroprotective effect of dopaminergic mesencephalic cells is not observed with long-term estrogen replacement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Estrogens / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Oxidopamine / pharmacology
  • Parkinsonian Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Parkinsonian Disorders / metabolism
  • Parkinsonian Disorders / physiopathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Substantia Nigra / drug effects*
  • Substantia Nigra / pathology
  • Substantia Nigra / physiopathology
  • Treatment Failure
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism
  • Ventral Tegmental Area / drug effects
  • Ventral Tegmental Area / pathology
  • Ventral Tegmental Area / physiopathology

Substances

  • Estrogens
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Oxidopamine
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Dopamine