Experimental Neurobiology  2014;23(3):258-265

doi:10.5607/en.2014.23.3.258

Proposed Motor Scoring System in a Porcine Model of Parkinson's Disease induced by Chronic Subcutaneous Injection of MPTP.

Joon Ho MOON 1 ; Ji Ho KIM ; Hyung Jun IM ; Dong Soo LEE ; Eun Jung PARK ; Kilyoung SONG ; Hyun Ju OH ; Su Bin HYUN ; Sang Chul KANG ; Hyunil KIM ; Hyo Eun MOON ; Hyung Woo PARK ; Hong Jae LEE ; Eun Ji KIM ; Seokjoong KIM ; Byeong Chun LEE ; Sun Ha PAEK

Affiliations

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Keywords

Parkinson's disease; pig; 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP); scoring analysis

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) is a common pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Characteristics of PD patients include bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, tremor at rest and disturbances in balance. For about four decades, PD animal models have been produced by toxin-induced or gene-modified techniques. However, in mice, none of the gene-modified models showed all 4 major criteria of PD. Moreover, distinguishing between PD model pigs and normal pigs has not been well established. Therefore, we planned to produce a pig model for PD by chronic subcutaneous administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), neurotoxin. Changes in behavioral patterns of pigs were thoroughly evaluated and a new motor scoring system was established for this porcine model that was based on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) in human PD patients. In summary, this motor scoring system could be helpful to analyze the porcine PD model and to confirm the pathology prior to further examinations, such as positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), which is expensive, and invasive immunohistochemistry (IHC) of the brain.