Cyclosporine A and MnTMPyP Alleviate α-Synuclein Expression and Aggregation in Cypermethrin-Induced Parkinsonism

Cypermethrin induces the mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons leading to Parkinsonism in rats. Despite alpha-synuclein aggregation is reported to be critical in Parkinson's disease, its role and alliance with the mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage leading to cypermethrin-induced Parkinsonism have not yet been deciphered. The present study aimed to examine the effect of cypermethrin on the expression and aggregation of alpha-synuclein and its subsequent connection with oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the presence or absence of a mitochondrial membrane transition pore opening inhibitor, cyclosporine A and a superoxide dismutase/catalase mimetic, manganese (III) tetrakis (1-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin pentachloride (MnTMPyP). The expression of alpha-synuclein, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)-modified proteins, mitochondrial dysfunction-dependent apoptotic proteins, nitrite content, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons were estimated in the substantia nigra and dopamine content in the striatum of control and treated rats employing standard procedures. Cypermethrin augmented the expression of alpha-synuclein, 3-NT, 4-HNE-modified proteins, caspase-3, mitochondrial Bax and cytosolic cytochrome-c along with nitrite and LPO and reduced the expression of cytosolic Bax, mitochondrial cytochrome-c, dopamine and number of TH-positive neurons. Cyclosporine A or MnTMPyP alleviated the expression and aggregation of alpha-synuclein along with indicators of the mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. The results demonstrate that cypermethrin induces alpha-synuclein expression and aggregation while cyclosporine A or MnTMPyP rescues from alpha-synuclein over-expression and aggregation along with the mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage leading to Parkinsonism in rats.