Fig. 3

Progressive accumulation of phosphorylated aSYN (p-aSYN) in the LC region. a, b Representative images (Bregma − 5.40 mm) and quantification of p-aSYN in the LC region via double immunofluorescence staining for TH (green) and p-aSYN (magenta). Values are presented as mean ± SEM, n = 4 per time point and group, one-way ANOVA analysis followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test, *p < 0.05. c Robust correlation was observed between loss of TH-positive LC cells and accumulation of p-aSYN (r = 0.67, p < 0.05). d Confocal microscopy confirmed accumulation of p-aSYN (magenta) in TH-positive LC cells (green) 3 weeks post injection in A53T-aSYN (red) overexpressing animals (lower row). e p-aSYN immunoreactivity in the LC-region of A53T-aSYN overexpressing animals (lower row) 9 weeks post injection. No A53T-aSYN or p-aSYN immunoreactivity was observed in Luc overexpressing animals (upper row) at any time point. Scale bars 250 μm in a, 25 μm in d-e