Central dopaminergic control of cell proliferation in the colonic epithelium

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease, mainly characterized by the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra. Several non-motor symptoms, including those associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction, precede the classical motor symptoms in PD. However, the mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal dysfunction in the prodromal phase of PD remain elusive. Here, we investigated the contribution of the central DA system to cell proliferation in the colonic epithelium. Degeneration of nigrostriatal DA pathway induced by striatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injection resulted in a marked reduction in cell proliferation in the colonic epithelium as assessed by Ki-67 and bromodeoxyuridine labeling assays. RNA-sequencing analysis confirmed the suppression of cell cycle-related gene expression in the colonic epithelium of 6-OHDA-lesioned mice. Mesencephalic DA neuron degeneration also caused the gut microbiota dysbiosis. Moreover, 6-OHDA-lesioned mice showed profoundly increased vulnerability to dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Together, our study uncovers a crucial role for the integrity of nigral DA neurons in the maintenance of colonic epithelial cell homeostasis. Our data also provide a new strategy for protecting intestinal homeostasis in PD.