title: Immunohistochemical study on the distribution of alpha-synuclein in the central nervous system of transgenic mice expressing a human Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase mutation.
abstract: We used the SOD1(G93A) transgenic mice as an in vivo model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and performed immunohistochemical studies to investigate whether alpha-synuclein is involved in the pathogenesis of ALS. In the spinal cord of transgenic mice, immunohistochemistry showed intense staining of alpha-synuclein mainly in the anterior horn. In the hippocampus of transgenic mice, differential increases in the staining density of alpha-synuclein were observed. In the cerebellar cortex of transgenic mice, the prominent immunostaining of alpha-synuclein was found in the molecular and granular layers. The present study provides the first in vivo evidence that alpha-synuclein immunoreactivity was increased in the central nervous system of SOD(G93A) transgenic mice, suggesting that alpha-synuclein might play an important role in the pathogenesis of ALS. However, the functional implications of these increases require elucidation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul 110-799, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kyeung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Myeung Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Choong Ik
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Cha
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005998:Glycine / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051843:Synucleins; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; C497605:Snca protein, mouse; C497606:Snca protein, rat; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000409:Alanine; D005998:Glycine