Figure 6.

Gene-Modified Macrophages/Microglia Selectively Infiltrated the Area of DA Neuron Degeneration in the SN and VTA

Coronal midbrain sections were from randomly selected brain samples of LT-MSP-hGDNF-2A-GFP- and LT-MSP-GFP-transplanted MitoPark mice and LT-MSP-GFP-transplanted non-MitoPark normal control mice after seven cycles of non-toxic HSCT. (A) Representative images of TH fluorescent immunohistochemistry. TH-immunoreactive DA neurons (stained in red) and infiltrated gene-modified GFP-expressing macrophages/microglia (in green) in SN (original magnification, 100×). (B) Representative images of DA neurons and macrophages/microglia co-immunostained with TH and Iba1 in SN (original magnification, 100×). TH-immunoreactive DA neurons (stained in blue), Iba1⁺ macrophages/microglia (stained in red) and infiltrated GFP-expressing macrophages/microglia (in green). (C) The number of Iba1⁺ and GFP⁺ macrophages/microglia in SNpc were counted from the sections of five individuals per group (n = 5) using NIH ImageJ software by two blinded investigators following the same criteria. Each bar represents mean ± SEM. One-way ANOVA was performed, followed by Tukey’s post-test. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 versus LT-MSP-GFP transplanted normal control mice. (D) Representative images of DA neurons and macrophages/microglia co-immunostained with TH and Iba1 in VTA (original magnification, 100×). TH-immunoreactive DA neurons (stained in blue), Iba1⁺ macrophages/microglia (stained in red), and infiltrated GFP-expressing macrophages/microglia (in green). (E) The number of Iba1⁺ and GFP⁺ macrophages/microglia in VTA were counted from the sections of five individuals per group (n = 5) using NIH ImageJ software by two blinded investigators following the same criteria. Each bar represents mean ± SEM. One-way ANOVA was performed, followed by Tukey’s post-test. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001 versus LT-MSP-GFP-transplanted normal control mice.