Paraquat induces selective dopaminergic nigrostriatal degeneration in aging C57BL/6 mice.

Background: Paraquat (PQ; 1, 1'-dimethyl-4, 4'-bipyridinium), a widely used herbicide that is structurally similar to the known dopaminergic neurotoxicant MPTP (1-methyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine), has been suggested as a potential etiologic factor for the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). Aging is an accepted risk factor for idiopathic Parkinson's disease. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that paraquat could induce PD-like nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration in aging C57BL/6 mice.