| First Author | Marti M | Year | 2005 |
| Journal | J Neurosci | Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 42 | Pages | 9591-601 |
| PubMed ID | 16237164 | Mgi Jnum | J:123450 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3718314 | Doi | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2546-05.2005 |
| Citation | Marti M, et al. (2005) Blockade of nociceptin/orphanin FQ transmission attenuates symptoms and neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson's disease. J Neurosci 25(42):9591-601 |
| abstractText | The opioid-like neuropeptide nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) and its receptor (NOP) are expressed in the substantia nigra (SN), a brain area containing dopamine neurons that degenerate in Parkinson's disease. Endogenous N/OFQ facilitates nigral glutamate release and inhibits nigrostriatal dopamine transmission and motor behavior. Here, we present evidence suggesting that endogenous N/OFQ may contribute to Parkinson's disease. Pharmacological blockade of the SN N/OFQ-NOP receptor system attenuated parkinsonian-like akinesia/hypokinesia in 6-hydroxydopamine hemilesioned or haloperidol-treated rats, whereas deletion of the NOP receptor gene conferred mice partial protection from haloperidol-induced motor depression. The antiparkinsonian action of NOP receptor antagonists was associated with reduction of glutamate release in the SN. In 6-hydroxydopamine hemilesioned rats, enhancement of N/OFQ expression and release was detected in the lesioned compared with the unlesioned SN, indicating that parkinsonism may be associated with overactivation of the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system in the SN. Finally, deletion of the N/OFQ gene conferred mice partial protection against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced loss of SN dopamine neurons. Based on these data, we propose that NOP receptor antagonists may represent a novel approach for combined (symptomatic and neuroprotective) therapy of Parkinson's disease. |
