Objective: To analyze the effect of benzopyrene on the decrease of dopaminergic neurons, and the increase and aggregation of α-synuclein, which are the pathological features of Parkinson's disease, and to explore its possible mechanisms.
Methods: Eight-month-old transgenic mice with human SNCA gene were randomly divided into a BaP-exposed group and a control group. BaP and solvent corn oil were injected intraperitoneally to BaP-exposed group and control group respectively, once a day for 60 days. The motor dysfunction of mice was tested by rotarod test. The effects of BaP on the decrease of dopaminergic neurons and increase and aggregation of α-synuclein were observed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot experiments respectively, and the expression of related mRNA was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Twenty genes were tested in the study, mainly related to neurotransmitter transporter (2 genes), neurotransmitter receptor function (10 genes), cellular autophagy (5 genes), and α-synuclein aggregation and degradation (3 genes).
Results: After BaP exposure, the movement time of the mice in the rotarod test was significantly reduced (P<0.05). The substantia nigra dopami-nergic neurons in the mice were significantly reduced, which was 62% of the control group (P<0.05), and the expression of α-synuclein in the midbrain increased, which was 1.36 times that of the control group (P<0.05). After BaP exposure, mRNA expressions of 14 genes in the midbrain of the mice were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05). Alpha-synuclein degradation and cell autophagy (5 genes), neuron transporters (2 genes), and neurotransmitter receptor functions (5 genes) were involved. The expression of one gene, Synphilin-1, was significantly up-regulated (P<0.01), which was related to α-synuclein aggregation.
Conclusion: BaP exposure not only inhibited function of neurotransmitter receptor and dopamine transporter, but also interfered cell autophagy, thereby hindering the degradation of α-synuclein, which could lead to decrease of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and increase and aggregation of α-synuclein in midbrain, as the significant pathology of Parkinson's disease. Therefore, BaP exposure may increase the risk of Parkinson's disease.
目的: 分析苯并[a]芘[benzo(a)pyrene,BaP]暴露对帕金森病病理特征多巴胺能神经元和α-突触核蛋白表达的影响,并探讨可能的机制。
方法: 8月龄人源SNCA转基因小鼠随机分为BaP染毒组和对照组,分别腹腔注射1.0 mg/kg体质量的BaP和玉米油溶剂,连续注射60 d。通过转轮实验观察小鼠运动功能障碍状况,通过免疫组织化学与免疫蛋白印迹实验观察BaP对多巴胺能神经元和α-突触核蛋白的影响,采用实时荧光定量PCR法检测相关mRNA的表达。研究中涉及的基因主要与神经递质转运蛋白、神经递质受体、细胞自噬和α-突触核蛋白聚集与降解相关。
结果: BaP染毒后,转轮实验中小鼠运动时间显著降低(P<0.05),小鼠黑质多巴胺能神经元明显减少,为对照组的62%(P<0.05),中脑α-突触核蛋白表达增多,为对照组的1.36倍(P<0.05)。BaP染毒后,小鼠中脑14种mRNA表达显著下调(P均<0.05),主要涉及α-突触核蛋白降解与细胞自噬、神经元转运体、神经递质受体等功能;而Synphilin-1表达显著上调(P<0.01),与α-突触核蛋白合成有关。
结论: BaP暴露抑制神经递质受体、多巴胺转运体蛋白功能和细胞自噬作用,阻碍α-突触核蛋白降解,从而诱导黑质多巴胺能神经元变性死亡和α-syn聚集体形成,增加帕金森病发病风险。
Keywords: Alpha-synuclein; Benzo(a)pyrene; Dopaminergic neurons; Parkinson’s disease.