Early increase in dopamine release in the ipsilateral striatum after unilateral intranigral administration of lactacystin produces spontaneous contralateral rotations in rats

• Unilateral lactacystin injection into the SNc induces rotational behavior in rats.
• Contralateral rotations are observed for few days and disappear one week after lesion.
• They result from a temporary increase in basal DA level in the ipsilateral striatum.
• Combined treatment with DA D1 and D2 receptor antagonists inhibits this behavior.

Since the discovery of the role of the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, UPS inhibitors, such as lactacystin have been used to investigate the relationship between UPS impairment and degeneration of dopamine (DA) neurons. However, mostly long-term neurotoxic effects of lactacystin have been studied in animal models. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate behavioral and biochemical changes related to the DA system during the first week following unilateral intranigral injection of lactacystin to rats. We found that lactacystin produced early spontaneous contralateral rotations which were inhibited by combined administration of DA D1 and D2 receptor antagonists. Simultaneously, an increase in the extracellular level of DA and its metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanilic acid (HVA) was found in the ipsilateral striatum. In contrast, one week after lesion, when turning behavior was no longer visible, a decrease in the extracellular level of DA, DOPAC and HVA was demonstrated. It was accompanied by a substantial reduction in the tissue levels of DA and its metabolites in the lesioned substantia nigra and striatum. We concluded that unilateral intranigral administration of lactacystin produces an early increase in DA neurotransmission which precedes a decrease in the striatal and nigral tissue DA content. It is manifested by the appearance of spontaneous contralateral rotations and an elevation of the extracellular DA level in the ipsilateral striatum. Since similar behavior was previously observed after intranigral administration of rotenone and MPP+ but not 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), it may indicate a common mechanism of action shared by these neurotoxins.