It has been observed that pituitary-adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) rescued DAergic neurons from neurodegeneration and improved motor alterations induced by 6-hydroxy-dopamine (6-OHDA) in rat parkinsonian models. Recently we investigated the molecular background of the neuroprotective effect of PACAP in DA-based neurodegeneration using rotenone-induced snail and 6-OHDA-induced rat models of Parkinson's disease. The behavioural activity, monoamine (DA and serotonin), metabolic enzyme (S-COMT, MB-COMT and MAO-B) and PARK7/DJ-1 protein contents were measured before and after PACAP-treatment in both models.Locomotion and feeding activity were decreased in rotenone-treated snails which corresponded well to findings obtained in 6-OHDA- induced rat experiments. PACAP was able to prevent the behavioural malfunctions caused by the toxins. The monoamine levels decreased in both models and the decreased DA level induced by toxins was attenuated by ∼50% in the PACAP-treated animals. In contrast, PACAP had no effect on the decreased 5HT levels. The S-COMT metabolic enzyme was reduced in both models; however, the protective effect of PACAP was not present in any of the models. Following the toxin treatments a significant increase in the MB-COMT level was observed in both models and the increased MB-COMT level was successfully restored by PACAP. The decrease of PARK7/DJ-1 protein content was also observed in both toxin-induced models; however, PACAP had beneficial effect only on 6-OHDA-treated animals.We conclude that the neuroprotective effect of PACAP in different animal models of Parkinson's disease is well correlated with neurotransmitter, enzyme and protein levels. The rotenone and 6-OHDA rat and snail in vivo parkinsonian models successfully mimic several, but not all etiological properties of the disease. Their use allows us to study both the mechanisms of neurodegeneration as well as to test new drugs. Appropriate selection of the models might offer an alternative way for investigating the molecular mechanisms of neuroprotective agents including PACAP.

The presence of pharmacologically active compounds (PhACs) in surface waters poses an environmental risk of chronic exposure to nontarget organisms, which is a well-established and serious concern worldwide. Our aim was to determine the temporal changes in ecological risk quotient (RQ) based on the concentrations of 42 PhACs from six sampling sites on seven sampling dates in the water of a freshwater lake in Central Europe preferentially visited by tourists. Our hypothesis was that the environmental risk increases during the summer holiday season due to the influence of tourists. Different experimental toxicological threshold concentrations and seasonal measured environmental concentrations of 16 PhACs were applied to ecological risk assessment. RQs of 4 dominant PhACs (diclofenac, estrone [E1], estradiol [E2], and caffeine) indicated high ecological risk (RQ > 1) for freshwater ecosystems. Additionally, our results confirmed the assumptions that the high tourist season had a significant impact on the calculated RQ; however, these results are mainly due to the concentration and temporal change of particular PhACs, including diclofenac (5.3-419.4 ng/L), E1 (0.1-5.5 ng/L), and E2 (0.1-19.6 ng/L). The seasonal dependent highest RQs changed as follows: 9.80 (June 2017; E2), 1.23 (August 2017; E1), 0.43 (November 2017; E1), 0.51 (April 2018; E1), 5.58 (June 2018, diclofenac), 39.50 (August 2018; diclofenac), and 30.60 (October 2018; diclofenac).

The present study strengthens the view that residues of drugs of abuse may become widespread surface water contaminants following a local music festival. Overall, 10 illicit drugs were detected from the aquatic environment after the festival; cocaine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine were present in the highest concentrations. The presence of illicit drugs and their metabolites over 3 monitored festival yr suggested that consumption of these drugs was temporally linked with events. Weather conditions seriously influenced detection of contaminants deriving from events at the lakeshore. Most of the illicit drugs retained their pharmacological activities, with a potentially adverse impact on wildlife. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1491–1498. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. Abstract Illicit drugs on the aquatic environment after a major music festival. MDAI = 5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane; MDA = 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; MDMA = 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine.