Background: Degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway has been seen as a significant cause of movement disability in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, the exact reason for these degenerative changes has remained obscure. In recent years, incretins have been neuroprotective in various pathologies. In the current study, we have investigated the neuroprotective potential of alogliptin (Alo), a dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor, in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced experimental model of PD.
Experimental approach: LPS (5μg/5 μl) was infused intranigrally to induce PD in experimental rats. Post-LPS infusion, these animals were treated with Alo for 21 days in three successive dosages of 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg/day/per oral. The study is well supported with the determinations of motor functions biochemical, neurochemical, and histological analysis.
Key results: Intranigral infusion of LPS in rats produced motor deficit. It was accompanied by oxidative stress, elevation in neuroinflammatory cytokines, altered neurochemistry, and degenerative changes in the striatal brain region. While Alo abrogated LPS-induced biochemical/neurochemical alterations, improved motor functions, and preserved neuronal morphology in LPS-infused rats.
Conclusion: The observed neuroprotective potential of Alo may be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions and its ability to modulate monoaminergic signals. Nonetheless, current findings suggest that improving the availability of incretins through DPP-IV inhibition is a promising strategy for treating Parkinson's disease.
Keywords: Alogliptin; Dopamine; Neurochemistry; Neuroinflammation; Oxidative stress; Parkinson's disease.
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