Dynamic changes in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in microglia after PPAR-γ agonist neuroprotective treatment in the MPTPp mouse model of progressive Parkinson's disease

Chronic treatment with MPTPp induced a progressive degeneration of SNc neurons. The neurotoxin treatment was associated with a gradual increase in both TNF-α and IL-1β colocalization with Iba-1-positive cells, suggesting an increase in pro-inflammatory microglia. In contrast, TGF-β colocalization was reduced by the neurotoxin treatment, while IL-10 was mostly unchanged. Administration of rosiglitazone during the full duration of MPTPp treatment reverted both TNF-α and IL-1β colocalization with Iba-1 to control levels. Moreover, rosiglitazone induced an increase in TGF-β and IL-10 colocalization compared with the MPTPp treatment. CD206 was gradually reduced by the chronic MPTPp treatment, while rosiglitazone restored control levels, suggesting that M2 anti-inflammatory microglia were stimulated and inflammatory microglia were inhibited by the neuroprotective treatment. The results show that the dopaminergic degeneration was associated with a gradual microglia polarization to the inflammatory over the anti-inflammatory phenotype in a chronic mouse model of PD. Neuroprotective treatment with rosiglitazone modulated microglia polarization, boosting the M2 over the pro-inflammatory phenotype. PPAR-γ agonists may offer a novel approach to neuroprotection, acting as disease-modifying drugs through an immunomodulatory action in the CNS.