Fig. 4

Prion-like spreading of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein. The diagram depicts areas in the brains of Tg(SNCA)1Nbm/J mice with inclusion bodies that stained positive for phosphorylated alpha-synuclein at 6 and 9 months after intrastriatal injection with brain extracts from MSA or probable iLBD cases into the left striatum (arrow). Staining for phosphorylated alpha-synuclein was verified with three different antibodies, 81A, EP1536Y, and pSyn#64. Mice injected with PBS were devoid of staining for phosphorylated alpha-synuclein and inclusion bodies for up to 9 months post injection. In mice injected with brain extracts from MSA or probable iLBD cases inclusion bodies became first visible at 6 months post injection and were more abundant in the left brain hemisphere where the injection had taken place. At 9 months post injection inclusion bodies with staining for phosphorylated alpha-synuclein were more abundant and detectable to near equal amounts in both hemispheres and had also spread to more rostral and caudal areas