LPS-induced reduction of striatal dopamine content is enhanced by DJ-1 knockout.

<p>(A) LPS (1 μg /1 μl) or saline (1 μl) was locally injected into substantia nigra. Five days later, the mice were sacrificed. TH-positive nerve terminals in striatum were stained using immunohistochemistry, and (B) dopamine, (C) DOPAC and (D) HVA in striatum were measured by HPLC in WT and DJ-1 KO mice. (E) Turnover rates of dopamine in the striatum of WT and DJ-1 KO mice. The turnover rates were calculated by dividing summated levels of dopamine metabolites by corresponding levels of dopamine, and were used to evaluate the states of monoamine metabolism in dopaminergic neurons. Data were normalized as percentage of mean HPLC value in saline-treated WT mice (con) and presented as mean ± S.E.M. (n = 7 for each group) * p<0.05, Scale bar = 0.5 mm.