The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of
SCH58261, a selective
adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, on striatal toxicity induced by
3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) in rats. The experimental protocol consisted of 10 administrations (once a day) of
SCH58261 (0.01 or 0.05 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal, i.p.). From 7th to 10th day, 3-NP (20 mg/kg/day, i.p.) was injected 1 h after
SCH58261 administration. Twenty-four hours after the last 3-NP injection, the
body weight gain, locomotor activity (open-field test), motor coordination (rotarod test), striatal
succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity and parameters linked to striatal oxidative status were evaluated in rats. The marked
body weight loss resulting from 3-NP
injections in rats was partially protected by
SCH 58261 at both doses.
SCH 58261 at the highest dose was effective against impairments on motor coordination and locomotor activity induced by 3-NP.
SCH 58261 was unable to restore the inhibition of SDH activity caused by 3-NP. In addition, the increase in striatal reactive species (RS) levels, depletion of
reduced glutathione (GSH) content and stimulation of
glutathione reductase (GR) activity provoked by 3-NP
injections were alleviated by both doses of
SCH 58261. The highest dose of
SCH 58261 was also effective in attenuating the increase of
protein carbonyl levels as well as the inhibition of
glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in rats exposed to 3-NP. Our results revealed that reduction of oxidative stress in rat striatum by
adenosine A2A receptor antagonism contributes for alleviating 3-NP-induced toxicity.