High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway

Background High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF rTMS) is a promising non-invasive treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in clinical settings. However, the precise mechanisms are incompletely understood. The proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin signaling pathway is closely associated wi...

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Main Authors: Rui Zhao, Wanqing Du, Ke Tian, Kunlong Zhang, Hua Yuan, Fang Gao, Xin Kang, Xiaolong Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PeerJ Inc. 2025-07-01
Series:PeerJ
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Online Access:https://peerj.com/articles/19633.pdf
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author Rui Zhao
Wanqing Du
Ke Tian
Kunlong Zhang
Hua Yuan
Fang Gao
Xin Kang
Xiaolong Sun
author_facet Rui Zhao
Wanqing Du
Ke Tian
Kunlong Zhang
Hua Yuan
Fang Gao
Xin Kang
Xiaolong Sun
author_sort Rui Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Background High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF rTMS) is a promising non-invasive treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in clinical settings. However, the precise mechanisms are incompletely understood. The proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin signaling pathway is closely associated with nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neuron degeneration, a hallmark feature of PD. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective efficacy of HF rTMS on the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway in PD. Methods Using a PD rat model induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), the rats were randomly divided into two groups: sham rTMS group and HF rTMS group. After a 4 w intervention, the rats’ motor function was assessed using a rotarod test. Additionally, immunofluorescence technology was used to analyze the DA neurons in the midbrain of PD rats, and immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were employed to evaluate the expression levels and effects of proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin in the midbrain following HF rTMS. Results Our research revealed a significant increase of proNGF expression in reactive astrocytes and upregulated sortilin and p75NTR in DA neurons in the substantia nigra of the hemisphere ipsilateral to the induced lesion, correlated with the degeneration of DA neurons and impaired motor functions. A four-week regimen of HF rTMS, as opposed to sham rTMS, significantly improved the above pathological conditions. The decrease in proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin expression following HF rTMS correlated with a significant increase in DA neuron survival and motor function improvement. HF rTMS exhibited no effects on proBDNF expression. Our study findings indicate that the targeted proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin complex modulation may be an essential mechanism through which HF rTMS exerts its neuroprotective effect. This insight offers a new therapeutic perspective for PD management, highlighting the potential of rTMS to modulate key neurodegenerative pathways.
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spelling doaj-art-e4d63681ccda4b0695ec11f280ff91f82025-08-20T03:31:24ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-07-0113e1963310.7717/peerj.19633High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathwayRui Zhao0Wanqing Du1Ke Tian2Kunlong Zhang3Hua Yuan4Fang Gao5Xin Kang6Xiaolong Sun7Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Neurobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fouth Military Medical University, Xi’an, ChinaBackground High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF rTMS) is a promising non-invasive treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in clinical settings. However, the precise mechanisms are incompletely understood. The proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin signaling pathway is closely associated with nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neuron degeneration, a hallmark feature of PD. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective efficacy of HF rTMS on the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway in PD. Methods Using a PD rat model induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), the rats were randomly divided into two groups: sham rTMS group and HF rTMS group. After a 4 w intervention, the rats’ motor function was assessed using a rotarod test. Additionally, immunofluorescence technology was used to analyze the DA neurons in the midbrain of PD rats, and immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were employed to evaluate the expression levels and effects of proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin in the midbrain following HF rTMS. Results Our research revealed a significant increase of proNGF expression in reactive astrocytes and upregulated sortilin and p75NTR in DA neurons in the substantia nigra of the hemisphere ipsilateral to the induced lesion, correlated with the degeneration of DA neurons and impaired motor functions. A four-week regimen of HF rTMS, as opposed to sham rTMS, significantly improved the above pathological conditions. The decrease in proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin expression following HF rTMS correlated with a significant increase in DA neuron survival and motor function improvement. HF rTMS exhibited no effects on proBDNF expression. Our study findings indicate that the targeted proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin complex modulation may be an essential mechanism through which HF rTMS exerts its neuroprotective effect. This insight offers a new therapeutic perspective for PD management, highlighting the potential of rTMS to modulate key neurodegenerative pathways.https://peerj.com/articles/19633.pdfParkinson’s diseaseRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulationSortilinproNGFDA neurons6-hydroxydopamine
spellingShingle Rui Zhao
Wanqing Du
Ke Tian
Kunlong Zhang
Hua Yuan
Fang Gao
Xin Kang
Xiaolong Sun
High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway
PeerJ
Parkinson’s disease
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Sortilin
proNGF
DA neurons
6-hydroxydopamine
title High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway
title_full High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway
title_fullStr High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway
title_full_unstemmed High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway
title_short High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson’s disease symptoms by modulating the proNGF-p75NTR-sortilin pathway
title_sort high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protects against 6 ohda induced parkinson s disease symptoms by modulating the prongf p75ntr sortilin pathway
topic Parkinson’s disease
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Sortilin
proNGF
DA neurons
6-hydroxydopamine
url https://peerj.com/articles/19633.pdf
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