Minocycline protects dopaminergic neurons in lipopolysaccharide.induced model of Parkinson' s disease

Objective To further investigated the effect of minocycline on the inhibition of microglial activation and subsequent protection of nigral DA neuron.Methods 20 rats injected with LPS in the substantia nigra (SN) were randomly divided into two groups (LPS group and LPS+Minocycline group).The behavior was observed on the 7~(th) d and 14~(th) d.The immunohistoehemistry,in situ hybridization and Western-blot were used to detect the levels of positive neuron,mRNA,protein of TH and OX-42. Results The slightly rotational behavior was observed in LPS+Minoeyeline group.The majority of mieroglias were activated in the two groups.Some microglia in the SNpc remained ramified in LPS+ Minocycline group.The numbers of hypertophie microglia in LPS+Minoeyeline group were less than that in LPS group.Western-blot showed that the protein of OX-42 in two LPS groups was higher than in normal group(P0.01),and the degree of increment in LPS group(1.03±0.03)was more than that in LPS+ Minocycline group(0.91±0.04)(P0.01).The numbers of TH positive neurons and the level of TH mRNA,protein of TH in the two LPS groups were lower than that in normal group(P0.01),and the degree of decrease in LPS group (21.54±4.89,39.87±7.03,0.42±0.03) was more than in LPS+ Minocycline group(53.41±8.36,65.12±9.06,0.63±0.04) (P0.01).Conclusion Minocycline, inhibiting microglial activation,has a strong neuroprotective activity and prevents the progression of the LPS- induced model of PD.