Group I mGluR antagonist AIDA protects nigral DA cells from MPTP-induced injury

The effects of i.c.v. injection of AIDA, a group I mGluR antagonist, were s tudied on the nigral DA cells after MPTP-induced injury in the black mouse, using TH immunocytochemistry and unbiased stereology. MPTP reduced the tot al number of TH-IR neurons by 55.2% and non-TH-IR neurons by 27.5% A 15 min AIDA pre-treatment (10 nmol) selectively counteracted the loss of TH-IR ce lls caused by MPTP as evaluated 10 days after the insult without changing t he total number of nonneuronal cell nuclei. The results suggest that group I mGluR antagonists may have a neuroprotective role against MPTP-induced de generation of DA neurons and thus probably also against neurodegenerative p rocesses occurring in Parkinson's disease. NeuroReport 12:2615-2617 (C) 200 1 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.