Figure 1 | Scientific Reports

Figure 1

From: The levels of the NMDA receptor co-agonist D-serine are reduced in the substantia nigra of MPTP-lesioned macaques and in the cerebrospinal fluid of Parkinson’s disease patients

Figure 1

Effect of MPTP-induced striatal dopamine depletion and L-DOPA supplementation on free amino acids levels in the monkey putamen. (a) TH protein expression was detected by Western blotting in untreated (control), MPTP- and (MPTP + L-DOPA)-treated monkeys (n = 5 monkeys/treatment). TH variations are expressed as percentage of the control group. Representative blot of TH immunodensity comparing the experimental groups are shown above the graph. GAPDH was used to normalize for variations in loading and transfer. (b) Dopamine and (c) DOPAC (expressed as pg/mg of fresh tissue), and free amino acids (d) D-aspartate, (e) L-aspartate (f) D-serine, (g) L-serine and (h) L-glutamate (expressed as nmol/mg protein) were measured by HPLC in the same samples used for TH detection. All free amino acids were detected in a single run. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.0001, compared to control group; #p < 0.05, ##p < 0.01, compared to MPTP-treated group (Fisher’s post-hoc). Dots represent the single subjects’ values while bars illustrate the means ± SEM.

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