NeuralCipher Research overview
The text below is the source article’s original abstract under a verified reuse license. cc by
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common chronic neurodegenerative disease globally; however, it lacks effective treatment at present. Focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles could increase the efficacy of drug delivery to specific brain regions and is becoming a promising technology for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of FUS-mediated blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening of the left striatum to deliver gastrodin (GAS) in a subacute PD mouse model induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The concentration of GAS in the left hemisphere was detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography electrospray Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC/ESI Q-Orbitrap) and the distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) neurons was detected by immunohistochemical staining. The expression of TH, Dopamine transporter (DAT), cleaved-caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), and synaptophysin (SYN) protein were detected by western blotting. Analysis showed that the concentration of GAS in the left hemisphere of PD mice increased by approximately 1.8-fold after the BBB was opened. FUS-mediated GAS delivery provided optimal neuroprotective effects and was superior to the GAS or FUS control group. In addition, FUS enhanced GAS delivery significantly increased the expression of Bcl-2, BDNF, PSD-95, and SYN protein in the left striatum (P P = 0.001). In conclusion, the enhanced delivery by FUS effectively strengthened the protective effect of GAS on dopaminergic neurons which may be related to the reinforcement of the anti-apoptotic activity and the expression of synaptic-related proteins in the striatum. Data suggests that FUS-enhanced GAS delivery may represent a new strategy for PD treatment.
Scientific assessment
Research question
Assess the question within the original study’s scope.
Methods & sample
Check the source article for study design and sample details.
Key findings
An editorially approved findings summary is not yet published for this record.
Limitations
Generalizability, bias and clinical meaning require separate assessment.
Methods, samples and clinical conclusions are not inferred from bibliographic metadata.