Fig 1.
Molecular structure of SP.
Fig 2.
Creation of hemiparkinsonian rat model.
The anesthetized SD rats were placed on stereotaxic apparatus and then injected with 12 μL 6-OHDA solution (or vehicle for sham animals) in the right-side striatum. AP: Distance after the fontanelle; R: Movement to the right side; DV: Depth value.
Table 1.
Groups designed for two-week daily treatment (n = 6/group).
Fig 3.
Scanning electron micrographs of blank GNP (A) and SP-GNP (B). SEM micrographs showed both blank GNP and SP-GNP were uniform in shape, and the dynamic light scattering demonstrated that both blank GNP and SP-GNP were uniform in size.
Table 2.
Characterization of GNs and Lip loaded with or without SP (n = 6).
Fig 4.
Results of MTT assay on PC-12 cells.
(A) Growth inhibition of 6-OHDA in different concentrations on PC-12 cells. * represents p <0.05 vs sham cells. (B) Growth enhancement of SP solution in different concentrations on PC-12 cells. * represents p <0.05 vs sham cells. ** represents p <0.01 vs sham cells. (C) Growth enhancement of SP solution and SP-GNP in different concentrations on 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells.** represents p<0.01 vs 6-OHDA diseased cells without SP treatment.
Fig 5.
Flow cytometry results on PC-12 cells.
(A) Blank PC-12 cells. (B) 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells without treatment. (C) 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells with 1nM SP solution treatment. (D) 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells with 10nM SP solution treatment. (E) 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells with 100nM SP solution treatment. (F) 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells with 1nM SP-GNP treatment. (G) 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells with 10nM SP-GNP treatment. (H) 6-OHDA diseased PC-12 cells with 100nM SP-GNP treatment.
Table 3.
Apomorphine-induced rotations after two-week daily SP treatment (n = 6/group).
Fig 6.
Histopathological HE staining.
(a) Sham SD rats. (b) Hemiparkinsonian rats with intranasal PBS treatment. (c) Hemiparkinsonian rats with intranasal blank GNP treatment. (d) Hemiparkinsonian rats with intranasal SP solution treatment. (e) Hemiparkinsonian rats with intravenous SP-GNP treatment. (f) Hemiparkinsonian rats with intranasal SP-GNP treatment.
Fig 7.
(a) Sham SD rats with intranasal PBS treatment. (b)PD rats with intranasal PBS treatment. (c)PD rats with intranasal blank GNP treatment. (d) PD rats with intranasal SP solution treatment. (e) PD rats with intravenous SP-GNP treatment. (f) PD rats with intranasal SP-GNP treatment. * represents p<0.05 vs hemiparkinsonian group (Group b), ** represents p<0.
Fig 8.
PD rats with intranasal PBS treatment. (c)PD rats with intranasal blank GNP treatment. (d) PD rats with intranasal SP solution treatment. (e) PD rats with intravenous SP-GNP treatment. (f) PD rats with intranasal SP-GNP treatment. * represents p<0.05 vs hemiparkinsonian group (Group b), **01vs hemiparkinsonian group (Group b).