Anti-inflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects of Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation on Parkinson's Disease

Wen-Shin Song; Chen-Yu Sung; Chia-Hua Ke; Feng-Yi Yang

doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2021.10.001

Anti-inflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects of Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation on Parkinson's Disease

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2022 Feb;48(2):265-274. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2021.10.001. Epub 2021 Nov 2.

Authors

Wen-Shin Song¹, Chen-Yu Sung², Chia-Hua Ke², Feng-Yi Yang³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Neurosurgery, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: fyyang@ym.edu.tw.

PMID: 34740497
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2021.10.001

Abstract

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is a promising non-invasive neuromodulation tool for deep brain stimulation. Here, we investigated the impact of LIPUS, including neuroprotective effects, on the pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) in an animal model. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) at two sites in the right striatum. LIPUS (1 MHz, 5% duty cycle, 1-Hz pulse repetition frequency, 15 min/d) stimulation was then applied to some of the rats (the 6-OHDA + LIPUS group) beginning 2 wk after the 6-OHDA administration, while the remaining rats (the 6-OHDA group) received no LIPUS stimulation. The 6-OHDA-induced inflammatory responses and expressions of neurotrophic factors were quantified with immunofluorescence activity. The safety of LIPUS was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin and Nissl staining. LIPUS treatment significantly inhibited 6-OHDA-induced glial activation and the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB p65 in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Further study revealed that LIPUS effectively preserved the levels of neurotrophic factors, dopamine transporter and tight junction proteins of the blood-brain barrier in the 6-OHDA + LIPUS group compared with the 6-OHDA group. These results indicate that LIPUS acts via multiple neuroprotective mechanisms in the PD rat model and suggest that LIPUS can be viewed as a potential treatment for PD.

Keywords: 6-Hydroxydopamine; Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor; Neuro-inflammation; Parkinson's disease; Ultrasound.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
Disease Models, Animal
Neuroprotective Agents* / therapeutic use
Oxidopamine / therapeutic use
Parkinson Disease* / therapy
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Substantia Nigra

Substances

Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Neuroprotective Agents
Oxidopamine