Fig. 2

ChABC improves cellular but not behavioural outcomes in the partial 6-OHDA lesion mouse model. Representative TH-stained coronal sections of a, b rostral SNc and c striatum from animals that received saline (top panel) or ChABC (bottom panel) into the 6-OHDA lesioned hemisphere (left hand side). Animals treated with ChABC show enhanced preservation of SNc cells and TH-positive fibres. Regions analysed for cell counts and TH-fibre mean grey value (MGV) are outlined. d Quantification of the number of SNc cells remaining in the lesioned hemisphere as a percentage of the intact hemisphere. ChABC treatment significantly protected cells in the rostral SNc when compared to control (*p = 0.02; unpaired t-test) but showed no protection at medial or caudal levels. e Quantification of the TH-positive fibre MGV within the lesioned striatum as a percentage of the intact striatum. While no differences were noted within either the medial or caudal striatum, the rostral striatum of ChABC-treated animals showed a group-wise increase in TH-positive fibre MGV (^##p = 0.002). Post-hoc analysis revealed TH-positive fibre density was significantly preserved in the dorsal (D) rather than ventral (V) aspect of the ChABC-treated rostral striatum when compared to controls (*p = 0.049; Bonferroni post-hoc). No change was detected between saline- or ChABC-treated animals in either f asymmetry score or g net amphetamine-induced ipsiversive rotations. Saline (Sal): n = 17 and ChABC: n = 17. Data are mean ± SEM. Scale bars: a = 200 µm; b = 50 µm; c = 1000 µm. h ChABC-mediated digestion was confirmed by C4S immunoreactivity. Digestion of the CSPGs, evidenced by C4S stain was detected along the entire nigrostriatal tract from the SNc level (bottom section) to the striatal level (top section). Black arrows indicate ChABC injection sites