Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: Synucleins are proteins found in neural tissue, breast carcinoma, ovarian tumor and skin. Possible involvement in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia and breast cancer has been examined. We examined the expression patterns of synucleins in mouse and human eyes at different ages. Methods: Mouse or human tissues were fixed in 10% formalin, paraffin embedded, cut into 5–µm–thick sections. Synuclein localization in the retina was determined by immunohistochemical staining using an antibody against all synuclein proteins (α–, ß– γ–synuclein and synoretin). Results: In mouse eyes, at prenatal stages, synuclein expression is confined to the inner retina. In one–month old mouse eyes, synucleins are found in the ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer (scant), outer plexiform layer and inner segment of the photoreceptors. In the 48 year old human eye, synuclein localization in the retina is similar to that in the adult mouse eye, except that expression is also found in the nerve fiber layer. The 75 year old retina showed less staining of the ganglion cell layer (fewer cells) but all other layers showed slight increase in synuclein staining compared to the younger retina. Conclusions: Ocular synuclein expression changes with development in mice and with age in humans.
Keywords: gene/expression • aging • immunohistochemistry