Presence of neuroglobin in the substantia nigra in a murine model of parkinson´s disease: an immunohistochemical study

Abstract

Neuroglobin (NGB) is a protein with antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity against conditions such as oxidative stress, oxygen / glucose deprivation and neuronal apoptosis. Its presence has been documented in different brain areas including the midbrain, a site of key importance for global motor control by the presence of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra located inside and whose progressive loss culminates in the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is a condition characterized by motor disturbances such as resting tremor, muscle rigidity, bradykinesia and deterioration gait and balance. There are few studies that inquire about the role of this protein in this disease, including its expression in the substantia nigra. The present study evaluated the presence of NGB in a murine model of PD induced by 6-OHDA injury using immunohistochemistry. The results show a significant difference of NGB aggregates in the substantia nigra in compared to controls (p=0.003) These findings provide the first in vivo experimental evidence of an adaptive NGB response in a model of PD, supporting its probable neuroprotective action in the main area involved in the pathophysiology of this disease.