Involvement of CRH Receptors in the Neuroprotective Action of R-Apomorphine in the Striatal 6-OHDA Rat Model

The dopamine D1-D2 receptor agonist, R-apomorphine, has been shown to be neuroprotective in different models of Parkinson’s disease. Different mechanisms of action for this effect have been proposed, but not verified in the striatal 6-hydroxydopamine rat model. In this study, the expression of a set of genes involved in 1) signaling, 2) growth and differentiation, 3) neuronal regeneration and survival, 4) apoptosis and 5) inflammation in the striatum was measured after a subchronic R-apomorphine treatment (10 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously, during 11 days) in the striatal 6-hydroxydopamine rat model. The expression of 84 genes was analysed by using the rat neurotrophins and receptors RT2 ProfilerTM PCR array. The neuroprotective effects of R-apomorphine in the striatal 6-hydroxydopamine model were confirmed by neurochemical and behavioural analysis. The expression data suggest the observed neuroprotection involved the alteration of the gene and the protein expression levels of the anti-inflammatory corticotropin releasing hormone receptor (CRHR) 1 and the pro-inflammatory CRHR2 receptor confirming its potential anti-inflammatory action.