SELECTIVE LOCALIZATION OF P450 ENZYMES AND NADPH-P450 OXIDOREDUCTASE IN RAT BASAL GANGLIA USING ANTIPEPTIDE ANTISERA

Environmental or endogenous toxins may cause nigral cell death in Park inson's disease (PD) due to altered expression of P450 enzymes. In rat brain, immunohistochemistry using anti-peptide antisera showed NADPH- P450 oxidoreductase and CYP2B1/2 in various hypothalamic nuclei and CY P1A1 in the globus pallidus, but neither enzyme was expressed in subst antia nigra. No specific immunoreactivity to CYP2D1 or CYP3A1 was foun d in any brain region examined. In contrast, CYP2E1 was expressed in s ubstantia nigra and in striatal blood vessels. Since CYP2E1 is associa ted with free radical production, it may contribute to the oxidative s tress believed to underlie nigral degeneration.