title: Comparison of alpha-synuclein immunoreactivity in the spinal cord between the adult and aged beagle dog.
abstract: Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a presynaptic protein that is richly expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems of mammals, and it is related to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, we compared the distribution of the immunoreactivity of α-syn and its related gliosis in the spinal cord of young adult (2-3 years) and aged (10-12 years) beagle dogs. We discovered that α-syn immunoreactivity was present in many neurons in the thoracic level of the aged spinal cord, however, its protein level was not distinct inform that of the adult spinal cord. In addition, ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule-1 (a marker for microglia) immunoreactivity, and not glial fibrillary acidic protein (a marker for astrocytes) immunoreactivity, was somewhat increased in the aged group compared to the adult group. These results indicate that α-syn immunoreactivity was not dramatically changed in the dog spinal cord during aging.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jung-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Joon-Ha
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Bing-Chun
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: In-Hye
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dae-Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
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
keywords: Aging; alpha-synuclein (α-syn); nerve terminals and fibers; neuroprotein; spinal gray matter