Functional Crosstalk between CB and TRPV1 Receptors Protects Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurons in the MPTP Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Figure 2

Anandamide prevents MPTP-induced degeneration of dopamine neurons in vivo. (a) Diagram of the experimental design. Mice were intraperitoneally given an injection of PBS as a control (CON) or MPTP only (M) or MPTP + anandamine (0.5 mg/kg) 12 hours after the last injection of MPTP (MA) and were sacrificed 7 days after the last MPTP injection. (b, c) Photomicrographs of TH⁺ neurons in the SN (b) and TH⁺ fibers in the striatum (c). Insets show higher magnifications of (b) and (c), respectively. (d) Number of TH⁺ neurons in the SN pars compacta (SNpc) and optical density of TH⁺ fibers in the striatum. Data are presented as of six animals per group. C: PBS-treated control; A: anandamide; M: MPTP; MA: MPTP and anandamide; SNpc: substantia nigra pars compacta; VTA: ventral tegmental area. , significantly different from control. ^&, significantly different from MPTP only (one-way ANOVA with the Neuman-Keuls post hoc test). Scale bars: (b) 300 μm; (c) 500 μm.

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