title: Comparison of α-synuclein immunoreactivity in the hippocampus between the adult and aged beagle dogs.
abstract: Alpha-synuclein (α-syn), as a neuroprotein, is expressed in neural tissue, and it is related to a synaptic transmission and neuronal plasticity. In this study, we compared the distribution and immunoreactivity of α-syn and related gliosis in hippocampus between young adult (2-3 years) and aged (10-12 years) beagle dogs. In both groups, α-syn immunoreactivity was detected in neuropil of all the hippocampal sub-regions, but not in neuronal somata. In the aged hippocampus, α-syn immunoreactivity was apparently increased in mossy fibers compared to that in the adult dog. In addition, α-syn protein level was markedly increased in the aged hippocampus. On the other hand, GFAP and Iba-1 immunoreactivity in astrocytes and microglia, respectively, were increased in all the hippocampal sub-regions of the aged group compared to that in the adult group: especially, their immunoreactivity was apparently increased around mossy fibers. In addition, in this study, we could not find any expression of α-syn in astrocytes and microglia. These results indicate that α-syn immunoreactivity apparently increases in the aged hippocampus and that GFAP and Iba-1 immunoreactivity are also apparently increased at the regions with increased α-syn immunoreactivity. This increase in α-syn expression might be a feature of normal aging.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, 712-714, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Joon Ha
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Bing Chun
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jae-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Choong Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ki-Yeon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: In Koo
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jin Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyung-Cheul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Moo-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Won
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051844:alpha-Synuclein