Urate's protective effect on dopaminergic neurons in mixed cultures.

<p><i>A</i>) MPP⁺ concentration-dependent effect on dopaminergic neuron, total neuron and astrocyte viability, expressed as percentage of TH-IR, MAP-2-IR and GFAP-IR cell number, respectively, in comparison to control cultures (n = 4). <i>B</i>) Urate concentration-dependent effect on TH-IR cell number in 0.5 µM MPP⁺-treated cultures (n = 5). <i>C</i>) Lack of effect of urate at any concentration on TH-IR cell number (n = 5). Urate (100 µM) effects on reductions in <i>D</i>) longest neurite length and <i>E</i>) soma size in MPP⁺ urate-treated TH-IR neurons. Photomicrographs show TH-IR neurons in <i>F</i>) control cultures, <i>G</i>) MPP⁺/0 urate-treated cultures and <i>H</i>) MPP⁺/0.1 urate-treated cultures and <i>I</i>) MPP⁺/100 µM urate-treated cultures. Scale bar = 50 µm. One-way ANOVA followed by Newman-Keuls test: *<i>P</i><0.05, **p<0.01, ***<i>P</i><0.001 <i>vs</i> 0 MPP⁺ value, ^##<i>P</i><0.01 and ^###<i>P</i><0.001 <i>vs</i> MPP⁺/0 urate value.