Gene expression profiles of reactive astrocytes cultured from dopamine-depleted striatum

We have carried out cDNA array analysis in order to characterize the gene expression profiles of reactive astrocytes from dopamine-depleted striatum. Astrocytes were cultured from the striatum of normal adult rats (adult astrocytes) or adult rats in which the substantia nigra had been lesioned 1 week earlier with 6-hydroxydopamine (reactive astrocytes), an animal model for Parkinson's disease. Three antibodies, 19D1, O1E4, and 13A11, known to label only reactive astrocytes in vivo, stained cultured reactive astrocytes but not adult astrocytes. Analysis with cDNA arrays showed that 38 genes were up-regulated and 75 genes down-regulated in reactive astrocytes compared to normal adult astrocytes. The expression of growth factor and transcription factor genes predominated among the up-regulated genes while those for signal transduction molecules, metabolic enzymes, and receptors for growth factors, hormones, and neurotransmitters predominated among the down-regulated genes. These results will allow the field to address the molecular profiles and functions of astrocytes activated in response to dopamine depletion and may be useful for developing new therapies for Parkinson's disease.