Apoptosis is induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) in ventral mesencephalic-striatal co-culture in rat.

Apoptosis may be an important mechanism of cell death in some experimental cell death models as well as in human neurodegenerative disorders. We report evidence to indicate that 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) induces apoptotic cell death using ventral mesencephalic and striatal co-culture; Apoptosis was defined by characteristic changes in nuclear morphology as revealed by hematoxylin-staining and DNA breaks in situ, which were demonstrated histochemically by labeling 3'-OH ends with biotinylated deoxyuridine through the action of terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase, and DNA fragmentation, which was shown by agarose-gel electrophoresis. Apoptosis may be an important mechanism of cell death in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced parkinsonism.