Fig. 3.
Progressive reduction in α-synuclein and tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the SYNDM+/+ striatum with age. Optical densities of human α-synuclein-immunostained striatal sections at three time points were analyzed using a computer-assisted image analysis system (8 sections/mouse; 4 mice/genotype; * P < 0.05). The densities of α-synuclein-positive striatal (STR) terminals were significantly decreased at 6 and 12 months of age compared to the 1-month time point (a). Quantitative real-time RT-PCR for human α-synuclein mRNA (hSYN) revealed no significant differences in hSYN expression with age (b). Real-time RT-PCR for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA revealed a down-regulation of TH mRNA expression in the striatum of 12-month-old SYNDM+/+ compared with age-matched non-transgenic mice (c; * P < 0.05)