Effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide exposure on immune responsiveness in a rodent model of Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

The effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on immune modulation in rats subjected to a right-unilateral lesion of the substantia nigra neurons by means of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), were investigated. LPS administration (250 μg) significantly decreases the total number of leukocytes and erythrocytes, as well as the hemoglobin level in the 6-OHDAlesioned rats. In addition, LPS administration was also associated with an increase, relative to control, in the erythrocyte indexes and the phagocytosis by neutrophils, and in blastic transformation of T lymphocytes. The obtained data indicated that LPS exposure might represent a risk factor for the development of the immunological changes associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Keywords

• 6-hydroxydopamine
• lipopolysaccharide
• leukocyte
• erythrocyte indexes
• phagocytosis
• proliferative response of T lymphocytes