Knockout and α- Synergy Modulated Parvalbumin-Positive Neurons Degeneration Staging in Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata of Parkinson's Disease-Liked Model.

The loss of parvalbumin-positive (PV) neurons in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR) was observed in patients with end-stage Parkinson's disease (PD) and our previously constructed old-aged α × triple transgenic mice model of PD. The aim of this study was to examine the progress of PV neurons loss. We demonstrated that, as compared with non-transgenic () mice, the accumulation of α- in the SNR of aged α × mice was increased obviously, which was accompanied by the considerable degeneration of PV neurons and the massive generation of apoptotic NeuNTUNEL co-staining neurons. Interestingly, PV was not costained with TUNEL, a marker of apoptosis. PV neurons in the SNR may undergo a transitional stage from decreased expression of PV to increased expression of NeuN and then to TUNEL expression. In addition, the degeneration of PV neurons and the expression of NeuN were rarely observed in the SNR of and the other triple transgenic mice. Hence, we propose that knockout and α synergy modulate PV neurons degeneration staging in the SNR of aged PD-liked mice model, and NeuN may be suited for an indicator that suggests degeneration of SNR PV neurons. However, the molecular mechanism needs to be further investigated.