mtDNA damage detectable in rotenone animals treated to PD endpoint. A, Blood collected after rats were treated with rotenone to endpoint, exhibited greater levels of mtDNA damage than vehicle-treated animals (black bar, 0.48 lesions ± 0.03/10 kb; *P < .0001). B, Skeletal muscle also showed increased mtDNA damage in rotenone-treated animals relative to vehicle (black bar, 0.27 lesions ± 0.02/10 kb; *P < .0001). Levels of blood mtDNA damage are statistically higher than muscle mtDNA damage (P < .0001). n = 7 (vehicle) and n = 10 (rotenone) treated rats were used for blood DNA damage analysis. n = 5 (vehicle) and n = 5 (rotenone) treated rats were used for muscle DNA damage analysis. Data are presented as mean ± SEM.