L. E. Annett

Nigrostriatal {alpha}-synucleinopathy induced by viral vector-mediated overexpression of human {alpha}-synuclein: A new primate model of Parkinson's disease.

We used a high-titer recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector to express WT or mutant human α-synuclein in the substantia nigra of adult marmosets. The α-synuclein protein was expressed in 90–95% of all nigral dopamine neurons and distributed by anterograde transport throughout their axonal and dendritic projections. The transduced neurons developed severe neuronal pathology, including α-synuclein-positive cytoplasmic inclusions and granular deposits; swollen, dystrophic, and fragmented neuritis; and shrunken and pyknotic, densely α-synuclein-positive perikarya. By 16 wk posttransduction, 30–60% of the tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons were lost, and the tyrosine hydroxylase-positive innervation of the caudate nucleus and putamen was reduced to a similar extent. The rAAV-α-synuclein-treated monkeys developed a type of motor impairment, i.e., head position bias, compatible with this magnitude of nigrostriatal damage. rAAV vector-mediated α-synuclein gene transfer provides a transgenic primate model of nigrostriatal α-synucleinopathy that is of particular interest because it develops slowly over time, like human Parkinsons disease (PD), and expresses neuropathological features (α-synuclein-positive inclusions and dystrophic neurites, in particular) that are similar to those seen in idiopathic PD. This model offers new opportunities for the study of pathogenetic mechanisms and exploration of new therapeutic targets of particular relevance to human PD.

Continuous Low-Level Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Delivery Using Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors Provides Neuroprotection and Induces Behavioral Recovery in a Primate Model of Parkinson's Disease

The therapeutic potential of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) for Parkinsons disease is likely to depend on sustained delivery of the appropriate amount to the target areas. Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs) expressing GDNF may be a suitable delivery system for this purpose. The aim of this study was to define a sustained level of GDNF that does not affect the function of the normal dopamine (DA) neurons but does provide anatomical and behavioral protection against an intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion in the common marmoset. We found that unilateral intrastriatal injection of rAAV resulting in the expression of high levels of GDNF (14 ng/mg of tissue) in the striatum induced a substantial bilateral increase in tyrosine hydroxylase protein levels and activity as well as in DA turnover. Expression of low levels of GDNF (0.04 ng/mg of tissue), on the other hand, produced only minimal effects on DA synthesis and only on the injected side. In addition, the low level of GDNF provided ∼85% protection of the nigral DA neurons and their projections to the striatum in the 6-OHDA-lesioned hemisphere. Furthermore, the anatomical protection was accompanied by a complete attenuation of sensorimotor neglect, head position bias, and amphetamine-induced rotation. We conclude that when delivered continuously, a low level of GDNF in the striatum (approximately threefold above baseline) is sufficient to provide optimal functional outcome.

Behavioral Assessment of the Effects of Embryonic Nigral Grafts in Marmosets with Unilateral 6-OHDA Lesions of the Nigrostriatal Pathway

Grafts of embryonic nigral tissue were made into the striatum of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) which had previously received a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion of the nigrostriatal bundle. The grafts comprised injections of cell suspensions prepared from embryonic (74 day) marmoset ventral mesencephalic tissue targeted at multiple striatal sites in the caudate nucleus, the putamen, and the nucleus accumbens on the same side as the initial lesion. A series of behavioral tests was used to assess the monkeys prior to surgery, following the 6-OHDA lesion, and at regular intervals for 6 months after transplantation surgery. Lesioned and grafted (n = 6) or lesion alone (n = 4) monkeys were matched as far as possible with respect to their scores prior to transplantation so that explicit graft-derived recovery could be distinguished from any spontaneous recovery that might occur. Sham-lesioned or unoperated monkeys served as further controls (n = 5). The grafts were functionally effective as measured by a reduction, and in some cases a reversal, of spontaneous, amphetamine- and apomorphine-induced rotation. The reversal of amphetamine-induced rotation correlated with the number of dopaminergic neurons in the grafts visualized by tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. Successful use of the hands was restored by the grafts on tasks in which the monkeys reached into tubes to retrieve food. However, functional recovery was not seen on some other behavioral tests. In particular, grafts did not influence ipsilateral biases induced by the lesion, including the position of the head with respect to the rest of the body, hand preference while reaching for food at a conveyor belt, and neglect of contralateral stimuli either at the conveyor belt or of adhesive labels placed around the feet. Indeed, the graft group was impaired compared with the lesion group in the accuracy of reaches at the conveyor belt. Overall, these results indicate that embryonic nigral grafts can yield a partial recovery from the symptoms induced by unilateral nigrostriatal lesions in a primate model of hemiparkinsonism.

Recombinant adeno-associated viral vector (rAAV) delivery of GDNF provides protection against 6-OHDA lesion in the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus)

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has shown potential as a treatment for Parkinsons disease. Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors expressing the GDNF protein (rAAV-GDNF) have been used in rodent models of Parkinsons disease to promote functional regeneration after 6-OHDA lesions of the nigrostriatal system. The goal of the present study was to assess the anatomical and functional efficacy of rAAV-GDNF in the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus). rAAV-GDNF was injected into the striatum and substantia nigra 4 weeks prior to a unilateral 6-OHDA lesion of the nigrostriatal bundle. Forty percent of the dopamine cells in the lesioned substantia nigra of the rAAV-GDNF-treated monkeys survived, compared with 21% in the untreated monkeys. Fine dopaminergic fibres were observed microscopically in the injected striatum of some rAAV-GDNF-treated monkeys, suggesting that rAAV-GDNF treatment may have prevented, at least in part, the loss of dopaminergic innervation of the striatum. Protection of dopamine cells and striatal fibre innervation was associated with amelioration of the lesion-induced behavioural deficits. rAAV-GDNF-treated monkeys showed partial or complete protection not only in the amphetamine and apomorphine rotation but also in head position and the parkinsonian disability rating scale. Therefore, our study provides evidence for the behavioural and anatomical efficacy of GDNF delivered via an rAAV vector as a possible treatment for Parkinsons disease.

Subthalamic nucleus lesions induce deficits as well as benefits in the hemiparkinsonian rat

Lesions of the subthalamic nucleus can restore some imbalances in motor output of the basal ganglia induced by nigrostriatal dopamine depletion, and have been proposed as a potential therapy for Parkinsons disease. Although there is substantial supporting evidence from experimental studies in both rats and primates, there is less information on the effects of subthalamic lesions alone. In order to characterize potential side effects, the present study evaluates the behavioural effects of unilateral excitotoxic lesions of the subthalamic nucleus in rats that have previously received either unilateral saline or 6‐hydroxydopamine injections into the nigrostriatal bundle on the same side. The 6‐hydroxydopamine lesions induced ipsilateral orientation asymmetries in head position and body axis bias, rotational asymmetries following injections of direct or indirect dopamine agonists, neglect of contralateral stimuli, and a reduction in the numbers of pellets retrieved with the contralateral paw in a skilled reaching task. Subsequent excitotoxic lesions of the subthalamic nucleus reduced (but did not abolish) rotational asymmetries, had no effects on the measures of neglect and skilled paw‐reaching, and produced contralateral orientation biases in head turning and body axis curling. Rats that received subthalamic lesions alone exhibited de novo impairments comprising contralateral biases in the orientation tests. These results support a neuromodulatory role of the subthalamic nucleus in regulating motor outputs of the basal ganglia, and caution that there may be distinct side effects of the lesion by itself. Whereas some impairments attributable to dopamine depletion may be alleviated by subthalamic manipulations, other symptoms are not, or may even be aggravated.

A comparison of the behavioural effects of embryonic nigral grafts in the caudate nucleus and in the putamen of marmosets with unilateral 6-OHDA lesions

The behaviour of marmosets with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal bundle and grafts of embryonic mesencephalon in either the caudate nucleus or the putamen was compared with that of lesion-alone and unoperated controls. The grafts comprised injections of cell suspensions prepared from marmoset ventral mesencephalon (i.e. allografts) targeted at four sites either entirely within the caudate nucleus or entirely within the putamen. Behavioural tests, including measures of amphetamine-induced rotation, neglect and use of each arm to retrieve food from inside tubes, were given before and after the 6-hydroxydopamine lesion and at regular intervals for 6 months after transplantation surgery. Grafts in the caudate nucleus reduced the ipsilateral rotation induced by amphetamine, whereas grafts in the putamen did not. Despite the absence of an effect on rotation, the putamen grafts were effective in reducing lesion-induced deficits on the task in which the marmosets were required to reach into tubes. In this latter task, the caudate grafts were also effective when the monkeys were given a free choice of which hand to use. However, when constrained to use the hand contralateral to the lesion and graft, the performance of the marmosets with caudate grafts was not significantly improved compared with that of lesion-alone controls. Neither the grafts in the caudate nucleus nor the grafts in the putamen abolished the contralateral somatosensory neglect induced by the lesion, although there was a trend for the marmosets with putamen grafts to contact the label on the contralateral side more quickly than those with caudate grafts or the lesion-alone controls. These results demonstrate that the location of embryonic nigral grafts within the primate striatum influences the profile of functional recovery.

Behavioural effects of subthalamic nucleus lesions in the hemiparkinsonian marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Recent studies in non‐human primates support a role for the subthalamic nucleus in the expression of parkinsonian symptomatology, and it has been proposed that subthalamic lesions may provide a surgical treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in humans. We have applied a broad range of behavioural tests to characterize the effects of lesions of the subthalamic nucleus on parkinsonian symptoms in the unilateral 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) lesioned marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Thirteen marmosets were trained on a battery of behavioural tasks that were conducted at regular intervals before and after surgery. All received unilateral 6‐OHDA lesions to the medial forebrain bundle. Seven animals were then given an additional N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate lesion of the ipsilateral subthalamic nucleus, whereas the remaining six animals received a variety of control or sham lesions to the nucleus. The 6‐OHDA lesions induced a strong ipsilateral bias in head position; mild–moderate ipsilateral rotation spontaneously and after injection of saline or amphetamine; and contralateral rotation after injection of apomorphine. Hemineglect was evident as delayed initiation of reaches on the contralateral side on the staircase reaching task. Additional subthalamic lesions significantly reversed the bias in head position from ipsilateral to contralateral and decreased neglect as evidenced by improved latencies to initiate reaching on the contralateral side at the staircase. However, deficits in skilled movements persisted in the subthalamic nucleus lesion group in that they did not complete the staircase task any faster than the control group and remained impaired on another task which required reaching into tubes. These behavioural effects demonstrate that excitotoxic lesioning of the subthalamic nucleus can ameliorate some, but not all, parkinsonian‐like deficits in the unilateral 6‐OHDA lesioned marmoset.

Survival of nigral grafts within the striatum of marmosets with 6-OHDA lesions depends critically on donor embryo age

The study examined the importance of embryonic donor age for the survival of nigral grafts in 6-OHDA-lesioned marmosets. The issue as to whether donor age is critical for the survival of nigral grafts in primates is controversial, because several early reports suggested that relatively old tissue could survive transplantation and produce functional benefits in monkeys, in contrast to the restrictive time dependence observed in rodents. Embryonic marmoset donors embryos of three different ages were employed: 1) E74 (Carnegie stage 18-19); 2) E83-84 (Carnegie stage 23+); 3) E92-93 (foetal period). The nigral neurons derived from the ventral mesencephalon in the two older donor age groups did not survive well when grafted to the striatum of adult marmosets with unilateral 6-OHDA lesions. Although a few tyrosine hydroxylase (TH+) neurons could be identified by immunohistochemistry at graft sites in all recipients in older donor age groups, the numbers of surviving neurons in these were small, on average typically less than 100 TH+ cells. These small grafts were not sufficient to affect amphetamine-induced rotation. In contrast, many more TH+ cells typically survived transplantation in the recipients of graft tissue derived from the youngest donors and amphetamine-induced rotation was significantly reduced in this group alone. The time course and extent of the reduction in rotation was remarkably similar to that observed in previous marmoset nigral graft studies, confirming the utility of amphetamine-induced rotation as a sensitive and reliable indicator of nigral graft function in this species. Considering these results and other recent evidence from monkey to monkey, human to rat, and human to human graft studies, the survival of embryonic nigral tissues derived from primate donors transplanted into the striatum does appear to be critically dependent on the age of the donor tissue.

Sensorimotor deficits in a unilateral intrastriatal 6-OHDA partial lesion model of Parkinson's Disease in marmoset monkeys

Animal studies investigating the efficacy of neurotrophic factors as treatments for Parkinsons disease (PD) ideally require partial dopamine (DA) lesion models. The intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion model may be suitable for this purpose. Although this model has been well characterized in rodents, it has not previously been used in monkeys. The goal of the present study was to characterize the behavioral effects of unilateral injections of 6-OHDA in the basal ganglia of common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus). Cell counts from tyrosine hydroxylase immunochemistry 5 months postlesion revealed DA cell loss in the substantia nigra on the lesioned side to approximately 46% of relative to the unlesioned side. 6-OHDA lesioned monkeys showed a variety of behavioral deficits. Apomorphine induced rotation and simple sensorimotor measures (head position bias and PD disability rating score) were most affected by the lesion. The largest deficits were seen at 1 or 2 weeks postsurgery but had recovered by week 10. 6-OHDA lesioned monkeys took longer to complete a more complex sensorimotor staircase task. At 3.5 months postlesion, 6-OHDA monkeys also showed deficits on an object retrieval task designed to measure sensorimotor planning and skilled hand use. alpha-Methyl-p-tyrosine, a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, reinstated those deficits which had undergone recovery in the lesioned animals and also exacerbated the deficits on the staircase task. This model has potential in assessing treatments for PD aimed at curtailing disease progression such as continuous delivery of neurotrophic factors.

Intrastriatal dopamine-rich grafts induce a hyperexpression of Fos protein when challenged with amphetamine.

SummaryThe aim of the present experiment was to characterize the effect of intrastriatal grafts of embryonic dopaminergic neurones on the expression of Fos protein in the striatum when challenged with amphetamine. Unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway were made in adult rats and grafting was performed 3 weeks later. The numbers of Fos-positive nuclei in the ipsi- and contralateral striata were counted on coronal sections following immunohistochemical staining 5 months after grafting. Administration of d-amphetamine induced an increase in the density of Fospositive nuclei in the intact striatum. This stimulatory effect of amphetamine on c-fos expression was blocked by 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide lesions and was restored in the striata bearing transplants. However, an overshoot was observed as the density of Fos-positive cells within the grafted striatum was larger than that observed within the intact striatum. This hyperexpression of Fos-positive nuclei was correlated with the exaggerated compensation of amphetamine-induced rotation in the same animals.