The levels of the NMDA receptor co-agonist D-serine are reduced in the substantia nigra of MPTP-lesioned macaques and in the cerebrospinal fluid of Parkinson's disease patients

Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 20;9(1):8898. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45419-1.

Abstract

Dysfunction of NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated transmission is supposed to contribute to the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD), and to L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Besides the main agonist L-glutamate, two other amino acids in the atypical D-configuration, D-serine and D-aspartate, activate NMDARs. In the present work, we investigated the effect of dopamine depletion on D-amino acids metabolism in the brain of MPTP-lesioned Macaca mulatta, and in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of PD patients. We found that MPTP treatment increases D-aspartate and D-serine in the monkey putamen while L-DOPA rescues both D-amino acids levels. Conversely, dopaminergic denervation is associated with selective D-serine reduction in the substantia nigra. Such decrease suggests that the beneficial effect of D-serine adjuvant therapy previously reported in PD patients may derive from the normalization of endogenous D-serine levels and consequent improvement of nigrostriatal hypoglutamatergic transmission at glycine binding site. We also found reduced D-serine concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid of L-DOPA-free PD patients. These results further confirm the existence of deep interaction between dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in PD and disclose a possible direct influence of D-amino acids variations in the changes of NMDAR transmission occurring under dopamine denervation and L-DOPA therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • MPTP Poisoning / metabolism*
  • Macaca
  • Mice
  • Parkinson Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / agonists*
  • Serine / metabolism*
  • Substantia Nigra / metabolism*

Substances

  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Serine