Figure 4. Nilotinib prevents MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration.

Seven days following the last MPTP injection, the number of TH-positive neurons was analysed in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of vehicle and nilotinib treated mice in the presence or absence of MPTP treatment by unbiased stereologic counting. (a) Representative photomicrographs from coronal mesencephalon sections containing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons of (a and c) vehicle and (b and d) nilotinib mice treated with saline or MPTP. (b) Stereology counts of TH and (c) Nissl-positive neurons in the SNpc from mice injected with saline and MPTP with or without treatment of nilotinib. Error bars represent the mean ± SEM, n = 5 mice per group. Two-way ANOVA was used to test significance and followed with post-hoc Bonferroni test to compare with the multiple group. *** p<0.0001 for MPTP compared to control group, #p<0.01 for Nil+ MPTP compared to MPTP group.