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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Alum<strong>in</strong>ium impairs neurotransmission<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
Alum<strong>in</strong>ium has a negative impact on the ma<strong>in</strong> steps <strong>of</strong> the neurotransmission<br />
event which takes place at the synapse, such as synthesis and storage <strong>of</strong><br />
neurotransmitters, triggered release from the presynaptic term<strong>in</strong>al, <strong>in</strong>teraction with<br />
receptors on the postsynaptic cell, and <strong>in</strong>activation <strong>of</strong> neurotransmitters (Gonçalves and<br />
Silva 2007). The metal may alter the physical properties <strong>of</strong> synaptic membranes which<br />
could <strong>in</strong>fluence the release and/or uptake <strong>of</strong> neurotransmitters, or directly <strong>in</strong>hibit the<br />
enzymes <strong>in</strong> charge <strong>of</strong> the synthesis, utilization and degradation <strong>of</strong> these molecules.<br />
There are evidences demonstrat<strong>in</strong>g that this metal disturbs some crucial events <strong>of</strong> DA<br />
neurotransmission. The DA metabolism appears to be altered <strong>in</strong> animal models <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong>: DA levels are reduced by 40% <strong>in</strong> the striatum (Ravi et al. 2000) and the<br />
concentration <strong>of</strong> DA metabolites such as dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and<br />
homovanillic acid (HVA) are lower <strong>in</strong> the hypothalamus <strong>of</strong> treated animals (Tsunoda<br />
and Sharma 1999). Besides, the ability <strong>of</strong> <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> to affect the expression <strong>of</strong> DA<br />
receptors D1 and D2 (Kim et al. 2007) and to <strong>in</strong>hibit DA-β-hydroxylase, the enzyme <strong>in</strong><br />
charge <strong>of</strong> convert<strong>in</strong>g DA <strong>in</strong>to noradrenal<strong>in</strong>e (Milanese et al. 2001), has also been<br />
documented. Alum<strong>in</strong>ium <strong>in</strong>terferes also with glutamatergic, chol<strong>in</strong>ergic, and<br />
GABAergic metabolisms. Actually, <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> exposure <strong>in</strong> rats leads to decreased<br />
acetylchol<strong>in</strong>e synthesis and degradation, reduction <strong>of</strong> muscar<strong>in</strong>ic acetylchol<strong>in</strong>e receptors<br />
(Julka et al. 1995), <strong>in</strong>creased contents <strong>of</strong> glutam<strong>in</strong>e and glutamate, and decreased<br />
GABA level (El-Rahman 2003, Nayak and Chatterjee 2003). Alterations <strong>of</strong> calcium<br />
metabolism may also be <strong>of</strong> importance for <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> <strong>neurotoxicity</strong> as calcium has a<br />
crucial role <strong>in</strong> neurotransmitter release. As an example, <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> <strong>in</strong>hibits GABA<br />
synaptosomal release and uptake as a consequence <strong>of</strong> the <strong>in</strong>hibition <strong>of</strong> Ca 2+ /CaM-<br />
dependent calc<strong>in</strong>eur<strong>in</strong> activity (Cordeiro et al. 2003).<br />
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