Effect of the micro-immunotherapy medicine 2LPARK® on rat primary dopaminergic neurons after 6-OHDA injury: oxidative stress and survival evaluation in an in vitro model of Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor impairments and resulting from progressive degenerative loss of midbrain dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the substantia nigra. Although the main cause of the loss of DAergic neurons is still unknown, various etiopathogenic mechanisms are distinguished, including release and accumulation of endogenous excitotoxic mediators along with the production of oxidative free radicals. Several neurotrophic and growth factors are known to increase DAergic neuronal survival and enhance antioxidant mechanisms. In this context, the micro-immunotherapy (MI) approach consists to regulate the immune system in order to protect DAergic neurons and control oxidative stress. PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the MI medicine (MIM), 2LPARK® (Labo'Life), on oxidative stress and on the number of neurons positive for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), in an in vitro model of PD. METHODS: Rat primary mesencephalic DAergic neurons cultures were pre-treated for 1 hr with the MIM (10 µM and 10 mM), placebo (10 µM and 10 mM) or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF; 3.3 µM) and then intoxicated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA; 20 µM) for 48 hrs. After incubation, cells were incubated 30 mins at 37°C with CellROX green reagent and number of labeled cells were quantified. Then, cells were fixed and incubated with anti-TH antibody and the number of TH+ neurons was evaluated. RESULTS: We showed that, contrary to placebo, MIM was able to reduce oxidative stress and protect DAergic neurons from 6-OHDA-induced cell death. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the in vitro efficacy of MIM on two essential mechanisms of PD and propose the MI approach as a new ally in the regulation of neuroinflammation and in the treatment of this degenerative disease.

Combination of acamprosate and baclofen as a promising therapeutic approach for Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the loss of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons but which involves the loss of additional neurotransmitter pathways. Mono- or polytherapeutic interventions in PD patients have declining efficacy long-term and no influence on disease progression. The systematic analysis of available genetic and functional data as well as the substantial overlap between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and PD features led us to repurpose and explore the effectiveness of a combination therapy (ABC) with two drugs - acamprosate and baclofen - that was already effective in AD animal models, for the treatment of PD. We showed in vitro that ABC strongly and synergistically protected neuronal cells from oxidative stress in the oxygen and glucose deprivation model, as well as dopaminergic neurons from cell death in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat model. Furthermore, we showed that ABC normalised altered motor symptoms in vivo in 6-OHDA-treated rats, acting by protecting dopaminergic cell bodies and their striatal terminals. Interestingly, ABC also restored a normal behaviour pattern in lesioned rats suggesting a symptomatic effect, and did not negatively interact with L-dopa. Our results demonstrate the potential value of combining repurposed drugs as a promising new strategy to treat this debilitating disease.