Fig. 6.

The inhibition of autophagy promotes the short-term effect of Mn on nigral DAergic neurons and apomorphine-induced rotations. After the pretreatment of wormannin in Mn-exposed rats, immunofluorescence and western blotting were conducted to measure TH-immunoreactivity and the expression of TH protein, and the apomorphine-induced rotations were also observed to measure manganese-induced Daergic neurotoxicity. a Effect of wortmannin on autophagy. b, c Densitometry analysis of Beclin 1 protein levels and LC3 II levels relative to LC3 I (mean ± SD; one-way ANOVA with Newman-Keuls post hoc analysis, *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01). d Quantitative analysis of the effect of autophagy inhibition before Mn exposure on the apomorphine-induced rotations. e Effect of autophagy inhibition on manganese-induced TH-immunoreactivity change. f Quantitative analysis of the effect of autophagy inhibition on manganese-induced loss of DAergic neurons. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 compared with control groups, scale bar indicates 200 μm. g The inhibition of autophagy by wortmannin promotes the short-term effect of manganese on TH expression. h Densitometry analysis of TH levels relative to β-actin was performed after three independent experiments. i Effect of autophagy inhibition on manganese-induced dopamine levels change (mean ± SD; one-way ANOVA with Newman–Keuls post hoc analysis, *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01)