康复学报 (Aug 2016)
Research on Role of Connexin 36 in Pathogenesis of Rats with Levodopa-induced Dyskinesia
Abstract
Objective:To study the role of striatal connexin 36 (Cx36) in the pathogenesis of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID).Methods:A total of 60 SD rats were divided into the normal group, the sham operation group, the Parkinson's disease (PD) group, the experimental group and the control group by a random number table, and 12 rats in each group. The hemi-PD rat models were established by 6-Oxidopamine (6-OHDA) microinjection into right medial forebrain bundle (MFB), then PD rats received intraperitoneal injection of levodopa for a week to establish a LID rat model. The experiment group and the control group were given levodopa for another two weeks, and the control group was added with rapamycin at the same time. The normal group, the sham operation group and the PD group received no treatment or only placebo. The behavioral changes in the experimental group and the control group were observed by abnormal involuntary movement (AIM) score, the Cx36 expression in the right striatum in the five groups were detected by immunohistochemisty, and the relationship between Cx36 expression and behavior was investigated.Results:The AIM scores in the experimental group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05); the expression of Cx36 in the injured side of striatum in the experimental group was higher than that of the other four groups (P<0.01); and the Cx36 expression was positively related to AIM scores.Conclusion:The increase of Cx36 expression is closely related to the pathogenesis of LID. The up-regulation of Cx36 expression may increase the oscillatory discharge of neurones, and enhance the unbalance of the direct and indirect pathways in the striatum, and promote the output of abnormal striatal signals, which leads to the formation of LID.
