Figure 1

MFB transection induces significant loss of TH-ir neurons and microglial activation in the ipsilateral SN. (A) TH, OX42, OX6, and ED1 immunohistochemistry in the contralateral (Cont) and ipsilateral (Ipsl) SN at 7, 14, and 28 days post-lesion (dpl) of unilateral MFB transection. Insets in (A) represent higher magnification of each photograph. Significant reduction in the number of TH-ir neurons is noted in the ipsilateral SN at 14 and 28 dpl. The resting ramified microglia showing weak OX42 immunoreactivity are distributed evenly in the contralateral SN and they are not immunolabeled with ED1 or OX6. However, in the ipsilateral SN, quite numerous activated microglia with increased OX42 immunoreactivity are found and they are also immunoreactive with OX6 and ED1. The activated microglia retain enlarged soma and shorter, thicken cytoplasmic processes. Scale bar represents 100 μm. (B) Changes in expression level of TH, OX42, OX6, and ED1 by western blot assay. (C) Quantification of results from western blot assay in (B). The density of each TH, OX42, OX6, and ED1 band was normalized against that of beta-actin. Values were normalized to control and expressed as the mean ± S.E.M. (n = 3). *P < 0.05 compared with value from control (ANOVA with post hoc Student’s t test).