Striatal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine induces retrograde degeneration and glial activation in the nigrostriatal pathway

PURPOSE: The effect of a highly selective 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced lesion of the nigrostriatal system on the astroglial and microglial activation was analysed in adult Wistar rats after an unilateral striatal injection of the neurotoxin. METHODS: Male rats received an unilateral stereotaxical injection of the 6-OHDA in the left side of the neostriatum and were sacrificed 22 days later. Control animals received the injection of the solvent. The rotational behaviour was registered by a rotometer just before the sacrifice. Immunohistochemistry was employed for visualization of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive dopamine cells, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunolabeled astrocytes and OX42 immunoreactive microglia. Stereological method employing the optical disector was used to estimate the degree of the changes. RESULTS: The striatal injection of the 6-OHDA induced a massive disappearance (32% of control) of the TH immunoreactive terminals in a defined area within the striatum surrounding the injection site. A disappearance (54% of control) of dopamine cell bodies was observed in a small region of the ipsilateral pars compacta of the substantia nigra (SNc). The GFAP and OX42immunohistochemistry revealed astroglial and microglial reactions (increases in the number and size of the cells) in the ipsilateral neostriatum and SNc of the 6-OHDA injected rats. CONCLUSIONS: The striatal injection of 6-OHDA leads to retrograde degeneration as well as astroglial and microglial activation in the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway. Modulation of activated glial cells may be related to wound repair and to the trophic paracrine response in the lesioned nigrostriatal dopamine system