Chronic L-DOPA treatment increases striatal cannabinoid CB1 receptor mRNA expression in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats

Zeng B., Dass B., Owen A., Rose S., Cannizzaro C., Tel B. C., ...More

NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS, vol.276, no.2, pp.71-74, 1999 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 276 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 1999
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/s0304-3940(99)00762-4
  • Journal Name: NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.71-74
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The effect of a unilateral g-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion of the left medial forebrain bundle and 3 weeks treatment with L-DOPA of normal and 6-OHDA lesioned rats on CB1r mRNA expression was investigated by in situ hybridization. A 6-OHDA lesion of nigrostriatal pathway alone, confirmed by the loss of nigral tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA, did not alter CB1r mRNA levels in the dopamine depleted striatum. Similarly, chronic L-DOPA treatment of normal rats had no effect on striatal CB1r mRNA expression. In contrast, chronic L-DOPA treatment of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats significantly increased CB1r mRNA expression in the denervated striatum. These results suggest that the CB1r activity may be altered by L-DOPA's action and this may be related to the treatment of Parkinson's disease. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.