Targeting the noradrenergic system for anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects: implications for Parkinson's disease

Degeneration of the locus coeruleus noradrenergic system is thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), whereas pharmacological approaches to increase noradrenaline bioavailability may provide neuroprotection. Noradrenaline inhibits microglial activation and suppresses pro-inflammatory mediator production (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β & inducible nitric oxide synthase activity), thus limiting the cytotoxicity of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in response to an inflammatory stimulus. Neighbouring astrocyte populations promote a neurotrophic environment in response to β(2)-adrenoceptor (β(2)-AR) stimulation via the production of growth factors (e.g., brain derived neurotrophic factor, cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor & glial cell derived neurotrophic factor which have shown promising neuroprotective and neuro-restorative effects in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. More recent findings have demonstrated a role for the β(2)-AR in down-regulating expression levels of the human α-synuclein gene SNCA and relative α-synuclein protein abundance. Given that α-synuclein is a major protein constituent of Lewy body pathology, a hallmark neuropathological feature in Parkinson's disease, these findings could open up new avenues for pharmacological intervention strategies aimed at alleviating the burden of α-synucleinopathies in the Parkinsonian brain. In essence, the literature reviewed herein supports our hypothesis of a tripartite neuroprotective role for noradrenaline in combating PD-related neuropathology and motor dysfunction via (1) inhibiting nigral microglial activation & pro-inflammatory mediator production, (2) promoting the synthesis of neurotrophic factors from midbrain astrocytes and (3) downregulating α-synuclein gene expression and protein abundance in a β(2)-AR-dependent manner. Thus, taken together, either pharmacologically enhancing extra-synaptic noradrenaline bioavailability or targeting glial β(2)-ARs directly makes itself as a promising treatment option aimed at slowing/halting PD progression.