♦️Parkinson’s disease (PD) mouse models are important tools for understanding the mechanisms of dopamine (DA) neuron degeneration and developing treatment strategies. PD is characterized by the progressive loss of DA neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, followed by striatal dopamine depletion, leading to motor and non-motor symptoms.
1. Types of Parkinson’s disease mouse models
(1) Toxic -induced models:
6-OHDA (6-hydroxydopamine) use: selectively destroys DA neurons when injected into specific brain regions, simulating nigrostriatal pathway degeneration.
MPTP(1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) use: a neurotoxin that crosses the blood-brain barrier and replicates DA neuron loss, widely used in motor function studies.
(2) Genetic models:
Mice with PD-associated gene mutations such as SNCA (a-synuclein), LRRK2, and PINK1 can model familial PD and provide insights into the impact of genetic factors on DA neuron degeneration.
(3) Transgenic models:
Overexpression of human a-synuclein aggregates leads to neurodegeneration with PD-like pathology.
2. Research applications
(1) Mechanistic studies: These models can explore oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and a-synuclein aggregation as key factors in DA neuron loss.
(2) Drug testing: These models can be used to evaluate the efficacy of neuroprotective and neurorestorative drugs such as dopamine agonists, neurotrophic factors, and gene therapy.
(3) Biomarker discovery: Analysis of molecular changes in these models can help identify biomarkers for early PD diagnosis.
In summary, by replicating human PD pathology, mouse models are of great significance for studying dopamine neuron degeneration and promoting therapeutic development, ultimately helping to improve treatment outcomes for PD patients.
