Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society
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J. Physiol. Pharmacol. · Jun 2008
Comparative StudyAlpha-synuclein A30P point-mutation generates age-dependent nigrostriatal deficiency in mice.
Lewy bodies are mainly composed of alpha-synuclein (SNCA) and specific mutations in SNCA gene are related to familial forms of Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of our study was to generate a mouse line with A30P knock-in point mutation in SNCA gene and to test if a single point-mutation is able to turn otherwise normal SNCA into a toxic form. The behavioral profile of SNCA A30P mice was followed for 16 months. ⋯ Indeed, mice at 15 months of age had significantly reduced levels of dopamine and its major metabolite DOPAC in the striatum, and reduced levels of dopamine in the mesolimbic system. The present study confirms that SNCA plays an important role in the development of PD and an insertion of a single point mutation is sufficient to generate age-related decline in specific motor performance. The generated mouse line has a potential to become a model for PD with comparable time course and phenotype.
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J. Physiol. Pharmacol. · Jun 2008
Comparative StudyIschemic preconditioning of the hindlimb or kidney does not attenuate the severity of acute ischemia/reperfusion-induced pancreatitis in rats.
Ischemic preconditioning of several organs, including the pancreas has been shown to protect these organs from injury evoked by subsequent exposure to severe ischemia followed by reperfusion. Moreover, it has been shown that ischemic preconditioning of distant organs such as the kidney, intestine or limb may protect the heart as effectively as cardiac preconditioning itself. This study was designed to determine whether ischemic preconditioning of the kidney or hindlimb protects the pancreas against ischemia/reperfusion-induced pancreatitis. ⋯ In contrast to direct ischemic preconditioning, remote ischemic preconditioning of the pancreas is without effect on pancreatic exocrine secretion and does not reduce the severity of ischemia/reperfusion-induced pancreatitis.