Effect of L-DOPA/Benserazide on Propagation of Pathological α-Synuclein.

Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders are characterized by filamentous or fibrous structures consisting of abnormal α-synuclein in the brains of patients, and the distributions and spread of these pathologies are closely correlated with disease progression. L-DOPA (a dopamine precursor) is the most effective therapy for PD, but it remains unclear whether the drug has any effect on the formation and propagation of pathogenic abnormal α-synuclein . Here, we tested whether or not L-DOPA influences the prion-like spread of α-synuclein pathologies in a wild-type (WT) mouse model of α-synuclein propagation.

Enhancement of phagocytosis and cytotoxicity in macrophages by tumor-derived IL-18 stimulation.

Inoculation of mice with the murine NFSA cell line caused the formation of large tumors with necrotic tumor cores. FACS analysis revealed accumulations of CD11b(+) cells in the tumors. Microarray analysis indicated that the NFSA cells expressed a high level of the pro-inflammatory factor interleukin-18 (il-18), which is known to play a critical role in macrophages.