The MPTP-induced parkinsonian syndrome in the goldfish is associated with major cell destruction in the forebrain and subtle changes in the optic tectum.

The neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) can induce a parkinsonian syndrome in humans and nonhuman primates, which is susceptible to treatment and prevention by drugs such as L-DOPA and L-deprenyl. Recently, we have reported that MPTP can also cause a parkinsonian syndrome in the common goldfish, which appears to faithfully mirror the neurochemical and behavioral aspects of the action of MPTP in the higher vertebrates. In addition, we recently identified the likely teleost equivalent of the substantia nigra in the goldfish forebrain, the "nucleus pars medialis," on the basis of its destruction by MPTP and selective protection by the MAO-B blocker L-deprenyl. In the present work we substantiate this conclusion by examining tissue destruction the goldfish forebrain at increasing MPTP concentrations, up to the the LD50 of 200 mg/kg. In addition, we show that at the highest MPTP dose subtle changes also occur with low frequency in nondopaminergic cells in the optic tectum, and in ependymal cells lining the midbrain ventricle. The effects on ependymal cells are similar to those previously noted in the forebrain. We conclude that the goldfish model continues to faithfully mimic the histologic pattern of parkinsonian tissue destruction engendered by MPTP in primate models.

Effect of MPTP on dopaminergic neurons in the goldfish brain: a light and electron microscope study.

The neurotoxin MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) causes a Parkinsonian syndrome in the goldfish (Carassius auratus), characterized by transient bradykinesia, the accumulation of MPP+ in the brain, and a decrease in the forebrain and midbrain content of catecholamines (Pollard et al., FASEB J., 6 (1992) 3108-3116). Using light and electron microscopy, we studied the effect of MPTP on the distribution and ultrastructure of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive, dopaminergic neurons, and on the ultrastructure of other selected areas of the goldfish brain. Goldfish were treated with MPTP (50 mg/kg) in the absence or presence of L-deprenyl (10 mg/kg) or clorgyline (10 mg/kg). In the medial part of the central telencephalon, the nucleus telencephali, pars medialis, MPTP caused a decrease in the number of TH-immunoreactive neurons and distortions in their labelling pattern. Electron microscopic observations showed that MPTP caused swelling of cell processes, changes in neuronal nuclear profiles, dilation of endoplasmic reticulum, intracellular vacuolization and membrane distortions, and degeneration of neuronal fibers in this brain area. MPTP also caused a small reduction and some diffuseness in the labelling of dopaminergic neurons in several diencephalic periventricular nuclei. Moreover, MPTP induced cell swelling and degeneration in the subependymal cell layers along the forebrain ventricles. In all areas, L-deprenyl appeared to partially prevent the MPTP-induced degenerative changes. We conclude that in the goldfish MPTP causes marked histochemical changes in selected dopaminergic brain systems coincident with the Parkinson-like locomotor and neurochemical deficits.

L-deprenyl confers specific protection against MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease-like movement disorder in the goldfish.

Administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) to the goldfish causes a reversible, Parkinson's disease-like syndrome which includes loss of noradrenaline and dopamine from the brain, accumulation of the toxic metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium species (MPP+), and substantial reduction in movement. L-Deprenyl, a selective monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor, protects the goldfish from loss of movement, but clorgyline, a selective monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor, has no such protective action. L-Deprenyl and clorgyline primarily inhibit goldfish brain monoamine oxidase-B and monoamine oxidase-A, respectively. The mechanism by which MPTP causes reduced movement in goldfish is to cause an increase in resting time. Otherwise normal average velocity occurred during periods of movement. L-Deprenyl protection results in entirely 'normal' levels of resting time and average velocity during times of movement. Equivalent observations regarding l-deprenyl and clorgyline have been made in primate models of MPTP toxicity, and l-deprenyl is used for treatment of Parkinson's disease in humans. Therefore it is suggested that the evolutionarily equivalent subcortical circuitry and neural density of the goldfish brain may provide a useful model upon which to search for drugs relevant to human Parkinson's disease.

A parkinsonian syndrome induced in the goldfish by the neurotoxin MPTP.

Parkinson's disease has been modeled in humans, lower primates, and to a lesser extent in some other vertebrates by administration of the potent neurotoxin MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine). The MPTP model has thus drawn considerable attention as a system to search for anti-Parkinson's disease drugs, although the cost and scarcity of primates has limited extensive applications. We now report that a parkinsonian syndrome can be elicited in the common goldfish (Carassius auratus) by a single dose of MPTP. The syndrome is characterized by profound bradykinesia (slow movement), the full extent of which is reached 3 days after MPTP administration. The reduction in movement is paralleled by loss of dopamine and norepinephrine from the forebrain and midbrain and in other brain regions as well. The toxic oxidative product of MPTP, MPP+, is also accumulated predominantly in forebrain and midbrain, and pretreatment with the monoamine oxidase blocker tranylcypromine substantially reduces accumulation of the toxic metabolite. A barely perceptible coarseness in balance adjustment also occurs in treated animals. The MPTP-treated goldfish recover normal movement and normal brain monoamine levels within 10-13 days after administration of the drug. We interpret these and other data to indicate that MPTP can induce a Parkinson's disease-like syndrome in the goldfish that is similar in many aspects to the syndrome induced by MPTP in humans and other primates. This remarkable parallel may permit the goldfish to supplement expensive and scarce primates for the purpose of searching and screening neuroprotective drugs with specific relevance to Parkinson's disease.

Cardio-respiratory changes and mortality in the conscious rat induced by (+)- and (+/-)-anatoxin-a.

Anatoxin-a (AnTx-a) is a potent nicotinic cholinergic receptor agonist. The relative potencies of the (+)-AnTx-a and the racemic mixture (+/-)-AnTx-a were investigated in the conscious rat by comparing their effects on mean arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), blood oxygen and carbon dioxide pressures (pO2 and pCO2, respectively), acid-base balance (pH) and mortality. The present experiments show that while both forms of AnTx-a produce dose-dependent increases in BP and decreases in HR, (+)-AnTx-a is about 10-fold more potent than the optically inactive isomer. (+)-AnTx-a was also 6-fold more potent than (+/-)-AnTx-a in producing severe hypoxemia, and more than 4-fold as potent as the (+/-)-AnTx-a in producing significant hypercapnia accompanied with severe acidosis. The approximate median lethal dose (LD50) of (+)-AnTx-a was about 5-fold less than that of (+/-)-AnTx-a. We conclude that (+)-AnTx-a is more potent than the (+/-)-AnTx-a racemic mixture in causing detrimental cardio-respiratory changes and therefore increased mortality in the rat.

A goldfish model for evaluation of the neurotoxicity of omega-conotoxin GVI A and screening of monoclonal antibodies.

The neurotoxicity of omega-conotoxin (omega-CgTx), a potent neuronal voltage-sensitive calcium channel blocker, was measured using a new bioassay. omega-CgTx was administered intraperitoneally (ip) to goldfish weighing approximately 1.6 g, and dose-related changes were observed over a 2-hr period. omega-CgTx induced time- and dose-dependent abnormal swimming behavior (ASB) and mortality. The antitoxin activity of the antibodies was investigated in vivo by either (1) preincubation of the antibody with omega-CgTx at 4 degrees C overnight, or (2) pretreatment with antibody, 30 min before omega-CgTx injection in a 10:1 antibody/omega-CgTx molar ratio. The LD50 dose of omega-CgTx in goldfish was 5 nmol/kg ip, and preincubation of monoclonal antibody (50 nmol/kg ip) with omega-CgTx (5 nmol/kg ip) significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced mortality, ASB, and toxicity time. The antitoxin activity of the monoclonal antibodies evidenced in the goldfish bioassay was further tested in the conscious rat. In the rat, the increases in mean arterial pressure and heart rate induced by omega-CgTx (0.03 nmol/rat icv) were significantly (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.01, respectively) attenuated by preincubation of the toxin with the antibody (0.3 nmol/rat). We conclude that the goldfish bioassay provides a simple, accurate, and inexpensive in vivo model for the study of the toxicity of omega-CgTx.

Integrated autonomic and behavioral responses to L/N Ca2(+)-channel blocker omega-conotoxin in conscious rats.

omega-Conotoxin (omega-ctx) was used as a probe for studying the putative role of brain L/N-type Ca2+ channels in regulation of autonomic functions. Rats were injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) with omega-ctx, and hemodynamic, biochemical and behavioral variables were monitored. omega-Ctx (0.032-10 nmol/kg) caused a persistent, dose-dependent shaking behavior, complex thermoregulatory changes, and motor deficits lasting up to 48 h. Cardiovascular responses to omega-ctx included tachycardia (+71 +/- 16%, P less than 0.01) and elevated arterial blood pressure (+16 +/- 1%, P less than 0.05) associated with increased circulating levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Higher doses, 1 or 10 nmol/kg, resulted in circulatory shock and death. Central administration of 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino)octyl ester (TMB-8), diltiazem (100 or 1,000 nmol/kg), neomycin (100 nmol/kg, each), nifedipine (10 nmol/kg), and CdCl2 (100 nmol/kg), which represent intracellular, non-specific N-, L-, and L/N-type Ca2(+)-channel blockers, respectively, did not cause any behavioral or hemodynamic effects, whereas the L-channel agonist BAY K 8644 (100 nmol/kg icv) caused a mild transient pressor response. Pretreatment with the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist muscimol (icv) or a combined intravenous pretreatment with propranolol and N-methylatropine blocked the omega-ctx effects. Our data suggest that omega-ctx actions in the brain involve central GABAergic mechanisms modulated by yet a different type of Ca2+ channels not characterized by any of the known voltage-operated Ca2+ channels.

Monoclonal antibodies against the presynaptic calcium channel antagonist omega-conotoxin GVI A from cone snail poison.

Monoclonal antibodies have been prepared against omega-conotoxin GVI A, a peptide isolated from marine snails of the genus Conus (Conus geographus and Conus magus). This toxin is a blocker of select presynaptic Ca2+ channels in the central nervous system. Antigenic omega-conotoxin GVI A was synthesized as a covalent conjugate with bovine serum albumin and injected s.c. An ELISA assay combined with a competitive inhibition assay was used to select and characterize monoclonal antibodies able to recognize and bind the free toxin. Several of the antibodies were found to block omega-conotoxin GVI A inhibition of 45Ca transport into rat brain synaptosomes and to block omega-conotoxin GVI A binding to membranes from the same preparation. The antibodies recognize native, synthetic toxin, and are useful for analysis of toxin in biological fluids.