Transplantation of foetal dopaminergic cells simultaneously to the striatum and pars reticularis of the substantia nigra in hemiparkinsonian rats
Introduction. Transplantation of foetal dopaminergic cells has been extensively used as restorative treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Objective. This study was carried out to determine the survival, modifications in rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine and total content of dopamine in the striatal and nigra regions of hemiparkinsonian rats which had had foetal mesencephalic cells simultaneously transplanted to the striatum and pars reticularis of the substancia nigra. Material and methods. The study was done using adult male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 gms. The following experimental groups were formed, depending on the site of transplant: St: transplant to striatum (n = 2); SNr: transplant to SNr (n= 20), ST + Snr; transplant to striatum and SNr simultaneously n= 20; and control (lesion with no transplant) n= 20. We studied the rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine 1, 2, 3 and 6 months after transplantation. After this time the rats were deeply anaesthetized and randomly allocated for morphological study or biochemical determination of the total dopamine content in the St and SNr using the HPLC technique. Results. Study of conduct showed no significant differences in rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine between the groups with intrastriatal transplants, but there was a difference between these and the SNr and control groups. Biochemical analysis showed that striatal DA content was significantly greater in the ST for the groups with intrastriatal transplants. The content of substancia nigra DA was significantly greater in the SNr of the ST + SNr group, followed by the ST group. Morphometric study showed differences, which were not significant, between ST transplanted animals and significant differences between the SNr transplanted group with a significant increase in survival of the SNr of the ST + SNr group. Conclusions. These results suggest a positive effect due to intrastriatal transplants compared to survival following intranigral transplants
Objetivo El presente trabajo se realizó con el objetivo de estudiar la supervivencia, las modificaciones de la actividad rotatoria inducida por D-anfetamina y el contenido total de dopamina estriatal y nigral en ratas hemiparkinsonianas sometidas a trasplante de células mesencefálicas fetales simultáneamente en striatum y substantia pars reticulata. Material y métodos. El estudio se llevó a cabo en ratas adultas Wistar machos, de peso entre 200 y 250 g. De acuerdo con el lugar del trasplante, se formaron los siguientes grupos experimentales: St: trasplante en striatum (n= 20); SNr: trasplante en SNr (n= 20); ST + SNr: trasplante en striatum y SNr simultáneamente (n= 20) y control (lesión sin trasplante) (n= 20). Se estudió la actividad rotatoria inducida por D-anfetamina 1, 2, 3 y 6 meses después del trasplante. Transcurrido este período de tiempo, los sujetos fueron profundamente anestesiados y aleatoriamente divididos para estudio morfológico y determinación bioquímica del contenido total de dopamina en St y SNr por técnica de HPLC.
Resultados El estudio conductual reveló que no existen diferencias significativas en la actividad rotatoria inducida por D-anfetamina entre los grupos con trasplante intraestriatal pero sí entre éstos y los grupos SNr y control. El análisis bioquímico reveló que el contenido de DA estriatal es significativamente mayor en el ST de los grupos con trasplante intraestriatal y en el contenido de DA nigral es significativamente mayor en la SNr del grupo ST + SNr, seguida del grupo ST. El estudio morfométrico mostró diferencias no significativas entre los ST trasplantados y sí entre las SNr trasplantadas, con un aumento significativo de la supervivencia en la SNr del grupo ST + SNr.
Conclusiones Estos resultados sugieren un efecto positivo del trasplante intraestriatal sobre la supervivencia del trasplante intranigral
