Changes in the expression of neurotransmitter receptors in Parkin and DJ-1 knockout mice--A quantitative multireceptor study.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a well-characterized neurological disorder with regard to its neuropathological and symptomatic appearance. At the genetic level, mutations of particular genes, e.g. Parkin and DJ-1, were found in human hereditary PD with early onset. Neurotransmitter receptors constitute decisive elements in neural signal transduction. Furthermore, since they are often altered in neurological and psychiatric diseases, receptors have been successful targets for pharmacological agents. However, the consequences of PD-associated gene mutations on the expression of transmitter receptors are largely unknown. Therefore, we studied the expression of 16 different receptor binding sites of the neurotransmitters glutamate, GABA, acetylcholine, adrenaline, serotonin, dopamine and adenosine by means of quantitative receptor autoradiography in Parkin and DJ-1 knockout mice. These knockout mice exhibit electrophysiological and behavioral deficits, but do not show the typical dopaminergic cell loss. We demonstrated differential changes of binding site densities in eleven brain regions. Most prominently, we found an up-regulation of GABA(B) and kainate receptor densities in numerous cortical areas of Parkin and DJ-1 knockout mice, as well as increased NMDA but decreased AMPA receptor densities in different brain regions of the Parkin knockout mice. The alterations of three different glutamate receptor types may indicate the potential relevance of the glutamatergic system in the pathogenesis of PD. Furthermore, the cholinergic M1, M2 and nicotinic receptors as well as the adrenergic α2 and the adenosine A(2A) receptors showed differentially increased densities in Parkin and DJ-1 knockout mice. Taken together, knockout of the PD-associated genes Parkin or DJ-1 results in differential changes of neurotransmitter receptor densities, highlighting a possible role of altered non-dopaminergic, and in particular of glutamatergic neurotransmission in PD pathogenesis.

Neurotransmitter receptor density changes in Pitx3ak mice--a model relevant to Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by alterations of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotransmission. Compared to the wealth of data on the impairment of the dopamine system, relatively limited evidence is available concerning the role of major non-dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems in PD. Therefore, we comprehensively investigated the density and distribution of neurotransmitter receptors for glutamate, GABA, acetylcholine, adrenaline, serotonin, dopamine and adenosine in brains of homozygous aphakia mice being characterized by mutations affecting the Pitx3 gene. This genetic model exhibits crucial hallmarks of PD on the neuropathological, symptomatic and pharmacological level. Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to characterize 19 different receptor binding sites in eleven brain regions in order to understand receptor changes on a systemic level. We demonstrated striking differential changes of neurotransmitter receptor densities for numerous receptor types and brain regions, respectively. Most prominent, a strong up-regulation of GABA receptors and associated benzodiazepine binding sites in different brain regions and concomitant down-regulations of striatal nicotinic acetylcholine and serotonergic receptor densities were found. Furthermore, the densities of glutamatergic kainate, muscarinic acetylcholine, adrenergic α1 and dopaminergic D2/D3 receptors were differentially altered. These results present novel insights into the expression of neurotransmitter receptors in Pitx3(ak) mice supporting findings on PD pathology in patients and indicating on the possible underlying mechanisms. The data suggest Pitx3(ak) mice as an appropriate new model to investigate the role of neurotransmitter receptors in PD. Our study highlights the relevance of non-dopaminergic systems in PD and for the understanding of its molecular pathology.