CULTURED RAT STRIATAL AND CORTICAL ASTROCYTES PROTECT MESENCEPHALIC DOPAMINERGIC-NEURONS AGAINST HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE TOXICITY INDEPENDENT OF THEIR EFFECT ON NEURONAL DEVELOPMENT

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydrogen peroxide, are suppos ed to be involved in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parki nson's disease. The potential role of astrocytes against neurotoxic ef fects of ROS was studied in cocultures of rat mesencephalic neurons an d rat striatal or cortical astrocytes. Neuronal [H-3]dopamine uptake, a marker of dopaminergic neuron integrity, was enhanced by striatal as trocytes, but not by cortical astrocytes, compared to uptake in mesenc ephalic neurons cultured alone. Whereas hydrogen peroxide at concentra tions up to 100 mu M reduced the [H-3]dopamine uptake in neuronal cult ures, no reduction of the uptake was observed in cocultures, regardles s of the origin of the supporting astrocytes. These results suggest th at astrocyte mediated protection of neurons against hydrogen peroxide induced toxicity is not directly related to a region-specific neurotro phic effect.