Gene expression changes in multiple brain regions of a mouse MPTP model of Parkinson's disease

In Parkinson’s disease (PD), the progressive loss of substantia nigra dopamine cells has been associated with their vulnerability to oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. To identify multiple gene transcription alterations that may potentially underlie early stages of related degenerative processes in brain, we used the subcrhonic MPTP mouse model of PD and microarray analysis at 4 days post-MPTP when neurotoxic activity is maximal. Since PD results in gene changes throughout the brain, we assessed MPTP's effects in multiple regions: frontal cortex, striatum and midbrain. Keywords: neurotoxic response Mus musculus adults were randomly assigned to either MPTP or saline treatment groups. Brain regions of interest (frontal cortex, striatum and midbrain) were dissected from both groups for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.