Effect of chronic and acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) administration on the function and structure of cultured chromaffin cells.

Cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells were treated chronically with various concentrations of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in the culture medium for 2-8 days or acutely for 10-15 min. Culture of cells with MPTP for periods of 2-8 days resulted in a marked loss of total cellular catecholamines and a parallel reduction in secretory response, but not the ratio of stimulated to unstimulated secretion. By the eighth day in culture, at the highest MPTP concentration (1000 ?M), cell catecholamine content and secretion were only about 10% that of untreated cells. The proportion of total cellular catecholamines secreted was not altered by MPTP, suggesting that the secretory process was unaffected by the drug. The loss of secretory output was not prevented by inhibitors of monoamine oxidase or catecholamine uptake, drugs known to prevent MPTP-induced damage to central dopaminergic neurons. The subcellular organelles of MPTP-treated cells appeared relatively normal except for extensive depletion of the vesicle contents, in agreement with the biochemical data. The severity of the depletion appeared to be lessened in cells treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Short term exposure to MPTP at concentrations less than 100 ?M had little effect on secretion induced by carbachol. Higher concentrations of MPTP increased unstimulated release and reduced stimulated release. Pretreatment of the cells with MPTP resulted in a lasting reduction in their subsequent secretory responsiveness. MPTP alone, at concentrations greater than 100 ?M induced catecholamine release that was unaffected by pretreatment of the cells with monoamine oxidase inhibitors or the catecholamine uptake inhibitor desipramine. MPTP-induced secretion by intact cells was calcium-dependent, while the small increase by permeabilized cells was not.