Mechanisms of aluminium neurotoxicity in oxidative stress-induced ...
Mechanisms of aluminium neurotoxicity in oxidative stress-induced ...
Mechanisms of aluminium neurotoxicity in oxidative stress-induced ...
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DA metabolism as a source <strong>of</strong> ROS<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
The selective neurodegeneration <strong>of</strong> SNpc DAergic <strong>in</strong> PD seems to suggest that<br />
these neurons are more vulnerable to <strong>oxidative</strong> <strong>stress</strong>, but the reason beh<strong>in</strong>d this is not<br />
completely understood. One potential expla<strong>in</strong>ation was based, at least <strong>in</strong> part, on DA<br />
metabolism either by autoxidation or catalyzed by MAO. Actually, this neurotransmitter<br />
can react with molecular oxygen generat<strong>in</strong>g peroxides, active qu<strong>in</strong>ones, � OH and other<br />
ROS that, along with those created from the respiratory cha<strong>in</strong> failure, may lead to both<br />
modifications <strong>of</strong> prote<strong>in</strong>s and depletion <strong>of</strong> GSH generat<strong>in</strong>g a highly <strong>oxidative</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>tracellular environment.<br />
The MAO catalyzed oxidation <strong>of</strong> DA to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde<br />
(DOPAL) leads to H2O2 formation, which is normally cleared by GSH. As GSH levels<br />
are decreased <strong>in</strong> SN <strong>of</strong> PD patients (Sian et al. 1994) H2O2 may be converted <strong>in</strong>to � OH<br />
which may trigger lipid peroxidation caus<strong>in</strong>g the death <strong>of</strong> DAergic neurons.<br />
Furthermore, DA autoxidation results <strong>in</strong> the formation <strong>of</strong> the semiqu<strong>in</strong>one radical which<br />
can be directly toxic (Stokes et al. 1999, Danielson and Andersen 2008) or which can<br />
lead to the formation <strong>of</strong> ROS (Olanow 1990). O2 ●─ is either metabolized <strong>in</strong>to H2O2 or<br />
reacts with NO, generat<strong>in</strong>g the strongly reactive ONOO ●─ . After a complex process <strong>of</strong><br />
polymerization, this autoxidation pathway leads f<strong>in</strong>ally to the generation <strong>of</strong> the dark-<br />
coloured, <strong>in</strong>soluble pigment called neuromelan<strong>in</strong> (Graham 1978). This compound was<br />
implicated <strong>in</strong> the vulnerability and susceptibility <strong>of</strong> DAergic neurons to<br />
neurodegeneration (Abou-Sleiman et al. 2006) but its precise mechanism rema<strong>in</strong>s<br />
uncerta<strong>in</strong>. Several hypotheses tried to expla<strong>in</strong> its contribution to the DAergic neurons<br />
death, through a macromolecule crowd<strong>in</strong>g effect or as an <strong>in</strong>traneuronal toxic reservoir<br />
by b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g transition metals like iron or neurotoxic coumpounds like MPP + (Chung et<br />
al. 2001).<br />
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