Effects of nigral dopaminergic lesions and striatal excitotoxin lesions on brain converting enzyme.

Abstract

High levels of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) are found in the caudate-putamen (CPu), globus pallidus, entopeduncular nucleus and substantia nigra pars reticulata; these structures were connected by a continuous band of ACE. In order to investigate whether ACE was associated with dopaminergic projections from the substantia nigra or striatal projections, we performed unilateral excitotoxin lesions using N- methyl- d -asparate (NMDA) (500 nmol) into the CPu and 6-hydroxydopamine (60HDA) (8 ?g) lesions of the substantia nigra. One week after the nigral 60HDA lesions and 2 weeks after the striatal NMDA lesions, 20 ?m frozen brain sections were analysed by computerized quantitative in vitro..