1: Neurobiol Dis. 2000 Aug;7(4):429-47.

The single intranigral injection of LPS as a new model for studying the
selective effects of inflammatory reactions on dopaminergic system.

Herrera AJ, Castano A, Venero JL, Cano J, Machado A.

Departamento de Bioquimica, Bromatologia, Toxicologia, y Medicina Legal,
Universidad de Sevilla, Calle Prof., Garcia Gonzalez s/n, Sevilla, 41012, Spain.

We have injected lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the nigrostriatal pathway of rats
in order to address the role of inflammation in Parkinson's disease (PD). LPS
induced a strong macrophage/microglial reaction in Substantia nigra (SN), with a
characteristic clustering of macrophage cells around blood-vessels. The SN was
far more sensitive than the striatum to the inflammatory stimulus. Moreover,
only the dopaminergic neurons of the SN were affected, with no detectable damage
to either the GABAergic or the serotoninergic neurons. The damage to the DA
neurons in the SN was permanent, as observed 1 year postinjection. Unlike the
direct death of dopaminergic neurons caused by agents as MPP(+) or 6-OHDA, LPS
seems to cause indirect death due to inflammatory reaction. Therefore, we
suggest that the injection of a single dose of LPS within the SN is an
interesting model for studying the selective effects of inflammatory reaction on
dopaminergic system and also potentially useful for studying PD. Copyright 2000
Academic Press.

PMID: 10964613 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


So the immune response to the presence of the bacterial toxin is to surround the blood vessels (i.e. the BBB) ? Interesting, no?