Mapping P2X and P2Y receptor proteins in striatum and substantia nigra: An immunohistological study

Our work aimed to provide a topographical analysis of all known ionotropic P2X(1–7) and metabotropic P2Y(1,2,4,6,11–14) receptors that are present in vivo at the protein level in the basal ganglia nuclei and particularly in rat brain slices from striatum and substantia nigra. By immunohistochemistry-confocal and Western blotting techniques, we show that, with the exception of P2Y(11,13) receptors, all other subtypes are specifically expressed in these areas in different amounts, with ratings of low (P2X(5,6) and P2Y(1,6,14) in striatum), medium (P2X(3) in striatum and substantia nigra, P2X(6,7) and P2Y(1) in substantia nigra) and high. Moreover, we describe that P2 receptors are localized on neurons (colocalizing with neurofilament light, medium and heavy chains) with features that are either dopaminergic (colocalizing with tyrosine hydroxylase) or GABAergic (colocalizing with parvalbumin and calbindin), and they are also present on astrocytes (P2Y(2,4), colocalizing with glial fibrillary acidic protein). In addition, we aimed to investigate the expression of P2 receptors after dopamine denervation, obtained by using unilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine as an animal model of Parkinson’s disease. This generates a rearrangement of P2 proteins: most P2X and P2Y receptors are decreased on GABAergic and dopaminergic neurons, in the lesioned striatum and substantia nigra, respectively, as a consequence of dopaminergic denervation and/or neuronal degeneration. Conversely, P2X(1,3,4,6) on GABAergic neurons and P2Y(4) on astrocytes augment their expression exclusively in the lesioned substantia nigra reticulata, probably as a compensatory reaction to dopamine shortage. These results disclose the presence of P2 receptors in the normal and lesioned nigro-striatal circuit, and suggest their potential participation in the mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease.