Figure 5
From: Neuron-to-neuron α-synuclein propagation in vivo is independent of neuronal injury
Spreading of hα -syn to the pons after AAV-mediated transduction of MO neurons. (a) Rats received a single injection of hα-syn-AAV prep 1 (open bars) or hα-syn-AAV prep 2 (filled bars) into the vagus nerve. The number of axonal projections immunostained with an anti-hα-syn antibody was counted in the left (injected side) pons at 6 (n = 7/group) and 12 (n = 5/group) weeks post injection. Values are means ± SEM. **P <0.0001 vs. the prep 1 group at 6 weeks (t test, F1,13 = 120.99). *P <0.05 vs. the prep 1 group at 12 weeks (t test, F1,9 = 6.01). (b, c) Representative pontine sections (Bregma: −9.48 mm) were obtained from rats injected with (b) hα-syn-AAV prep 1 or (c) prep 2 and sacrificed at 12 weeks post treatment. Higher magnification images from the coeruleus-subcoeruleus complex were obtained by z-stacking. They show axonal projections immunostained with an anti-hα-syn antibody. Scale bar = 30 μm. (d, e) Rats received a single injection of hα-syn-AAV prep 1 (n = 5) or prep 2 (n = 5) and were killed at 12 weeks post treatment. (d) An area encompassing the locus coeruleus (LC) and the parabrachialis nucleus (PB) was delineated on serial sections throughout the pons (a schematic representation of one of these sections at Bregma −9.6 mm is shown), and (e) the density of fibers immunoreactive for hα-syn was estimated using the Space Balls stereological tool [23]. Values are means ± SEM. *P <0.05 vs. the prep 1 group (T test: F1,9 = 10.96).