A decade of MPTP-based zebrafish research in Parkinson’s disease: toward translational understanding

An innovative study focused on using adult zebrafish, Danio rerio, to model human neurological diseases has demonstrated their use in pharmaceutical development and genetic disease research. Zebrafish, owing to their significant genetic similarity to humans, cost-effective maintenance, rapid reproductive cycles, and efficient embryo generation, provide a suitable model for evaluating pharmacological efficacy in a high-throughput, in vivo context. Presently, most of the research using zebrafish models for Parkinson’s disease (PD) generates the condition in larval or embryonic creatures owing to the simplicity of administration, with progression through developmental stages occurring within a few days. The use of early-stage organisms constrains the applicability of zebrafish as models for adult diseases, particularly age-related neurodegenerative disorders. Recently, researchers have endeavoured to enhance the applicability of zebrafish as models for Parkinson’s disease. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been identified as a prodrug that, upon injection, effectively encapsulates the biochemical pathways and symptomatology linked to Parkinson’s disease. Utilising MPTP in an adult zebrafish model may facilitate breakthroughs in Parkinson’s disease research. This article emphasises new research on this model, juxtaposing it with the human variant of Parkinson’s disease.