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Science 3 August 1984:
Vol. 225. no. 4661, pp. 529 - 531
DOI: 10.1126/science.6610939
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Articles

Science, Vol 225, Issue 4661, 529-531
Copyright © 1984 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine destroys dopamine neurons in explants of rat embryo mesencephalon

C Mytilineou and G Cohen

Explants of embryonic rat mesencephalon were grown in organotypic culture. Addition of 10 microM 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) to the culture medium for 4 to 7 days resulted in loss of dopamine cell bodies and fiber outgrowths, as observed by fluorescence histochemistry. At the same time, the cultures showed decreased uptake of tritium-labeled dopamine. However, no signs of generalized toxicity were evident when the explant cultures were viewed by light and phase-contrast microscopy. These results show that MPTP exerts a relatively selective destructive action in dopamine neurons in vitro, similar to the action observed in humans and monkeys in vivo. Pargyline (10 microM), a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, protected the dopamine neurons in the explants. Organotypic cultures provide an experimental model for the study of the properties of MPTP in vitro.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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E. D. Clarkson, J. Edwards-Prasad, C. R. Freed, and K. N. Prasad (1999)
Experimental Biology and Medicine 222, 157-163
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Localization and Functional Analysis of the Substrate Specificity/Catalytic Domains of Human M-form and P-form Phenol Sulfotransferases.
Y. Sakakibara, Y. Takami, T. Nakayama, M. Suiko, and M.-C. Liu (1998)
J. Biol. Chem. 273, 6242-6247
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Brain enzyme is the target of drug toxin.
R Lewin (1984)
Science 225, 1460-1462
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