Robert, For heaven sakes, what exactly is there to feel guilty about? First of all, it was late last night, I had intended to send another letter to the list with references, and I am really sorry that this happened. One letter was suppose to go to the list, and this one was suppose to go to my father. My apologies... and maybe my letter wasn't clear, this had nothing to do with alcoholic liver damage, but it may have something to do with my father's work, that he was exposed to chemicals that could have injured his liver. What this paper was about was based on the following. Perhaps you haven't seen these studies? I just wanted some feedback on the work that is being done at King's College, London, UK Best, Linda Neuroscience 1998 Sep;86(2):511-9 Co-localization of P450 enzymes in the rat substantia nigra with tyrosine hydroxylase. Watts PM, Riedl AG, Douek DC, Edwards RJ, Boobis AR, Jenner P, Marsden CD Neurodegenerative Disease Research Centre, Biomedical Sciences Division, . [Medline record in process] Susceptibility to develop Parkinson's disease has been linked to abnormalities of P450 enzyme function. Multiple P450 enzymes are expressed in brain but the relationship of these to Parkinson's disease is unknown. We have investigated the expression of P450 enzymes in the rat substantia nigra and their co-localization in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and astrocytes. Immunohistochemistry was performed using anti-peptide antisera against the following P450 enzymes: CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2B1/2, CYP2C12, CYP2C13/2C6, CYP2D1, CYP2D4, CYP2E1, CYP3A1, CYP3A2 and NADPH-P450 oxidoreductase. Immunoreactivity in nigral cells was found only for CYP2E1 and CYP2C13/2C6. CYP2E1 immunoreactivity was localized to many midbrain nuclei including the substantia nigra pars compacta but not the substantia nigra pars reticulata while immunoreactivity to CYP2C13/2C6 was found in the substantia nigra pars compacta, substantia nigra pars reticulata and many other midbrain nuclei. Sections of rat midbrain double labelled for either CYP2E1 or CYP2C13/2C6 and tyrosine hydroxylase or glial fibrillary acidic protein were examined for co-localization by confocal laser scanning microscopy. CYP2E1 and CYP2C13/2C6 immunoreactivity was found in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta but not in glial cells. CYP2C13/2C6, but not CYP2E1, was also found in non-glial, non-tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing cells in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. Isoniazid induction increased CYP2E1 fluorescence signal intensity from nigral dopaminergic neurons. At least two P450 enzymes are found in nigral dopamine containing cells and one, namely CYP2E1, is selectively localized to this cell population. CYP2E1 is a potent generator of free radicals which may contribute to nigral pathology in Parkinson's disease. The expression of CYP2E1 in dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra raises the possibility of a causal association with Parkinson's disease. PMID: 9881865, UI: 99096192 Mov Disord 1998;13 Suppl 1:24-34 Oxidative mechanisms in nigral cell death in Parkinson's disease. Jenner P Neurodegenerative Disease Research Centre, Biomedical Science Division, London, United Kingdom. Oxidative stress may contribute to nigral cell death in Parkinson's disease based on postmortem investigations showing increased iron levels, decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), and impaired mitochondrial function. This leads to oxidative damage because lipid peroxidation is increased in substantia nigra and there is a widespread increase in protein and DNA oxidation in the brain in Parkinson's disease. Nitric oxide (NO) may be one of the free radical species involved in nigral degeneration. NO is involved in the production of hydroxyl radicals resulting from MPP+-induced dopamine efflux in striatum. Mice treated with the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor 7-nitroindazole show reduced toxicity to MPTP and knock-out mice lacking neuronal NOS show decreased MPTP susceptibility. In primates, 7-nitroindazole inhibits MPTP toxicity but this remains controversial because no protection is afforded by the nonspecific NOS inhibitor, L-NAME. Indeed, in Parkinson's disease itself, there is little evidence for nitric oxide's involvement in nigral pathology. A susceptibility factor for the development of Parkinson's disease may involve isoforms of cytochrome P450, some of which are found in the brain. CYP2EI, which is associated with free radical production and the formation of endogenous toxins, is selectively localized in nigral dopamine-containing cells. CYP2E1 metabolizes n-hexane leading to the formation of its neurotoxic metabolite 2,5-hexanedione which may explain cases of solvent-induced parkinsonism. Oxidative processes clearly contribute to the pathology of Parkinson's disease but are probably secondary to some other primary unidentified cause, presumably genetic or environmental. Nevertheless, their involvement may allow therapeutic intervention in the cascade of events associated with the progression of Parkinson's disease. Publication Types: Review Review, tutorial PMID: 9613715, UI: 98273771