Effect of adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonists and L-DOPA on hydroxyl radical, glutamate and dopamine in the striatum of 6-OHDA-treated rats.

A(2A) adenosine receptor antagonists have been proposed as a new therapy of PD. Since oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PD, we studied the effect of the selective A(2A) adenosine receptor antagonists 8-(-3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC) and 4-(2-[7-amino-2-(2-furyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[2,3-a][1,3,5]triazin-5-ylamino]ethyl)phenol (ZM 241385) on hydroxyl radical generation, and glutamate (GLU) and dopamine (DA) extracellular level using a microdialysis in the striatum of 6-OHDA-treated rats. CSC (1 mg/kg) and ZM 241385 (3 mg/kg) given repeatedly for 14 days decreased the production of hydroxyl radical and extracellular GLU level, both enhanced by prior 6-OHDA treatment in dialysates from the rat striatum. CSC and ZM 241385 did not affect DA and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanilic acid (HVA) extracellular levels in the striatum of 6-OHDA-treated rats. L-DOPA (6 mg/kg) given twice daily for two weeks in the presence of benserazide (3 mg/kg) decreased striatal hydroxyl radical and glutamate extracellular level in 6-OHDA-treated rats. At the same time, L-DOPA slightly but significantly increased the extracellular levels of DOPAC and HVA. A combined repeated administration of L-DOPA and CSC or ZM 241385 did not change the effect of L-DOPA on hydroxyl radical production and glutamate extracellular level in spite of an enhancement of extracellular DA level by CSC and elevation of extracellular level of DOPAC and HVA by ZM 241385. The data suggest that the 6-OHDA-induced damage of nigrostriatal DA-terminals is related to oxidative stress and excessive release of glutamate. Administration of L-DOPA in combination with CSC or ZM 241385, by restoring striatal DA-glutamate balance, suppressed 6-OHDA-induced overproduction of hydroxyl radical.