Figure 4.

Nuclear Translocation of α-Syn Involves Activation of Gene Expression

(A) MCF7 cells were co-transfected to express α-Syn, RARE-driven luciferase reporter gene, and β-galactosidase (β-gal). Cells were treated with the indicated retinoids (at 50 nM) or DMSO for 24 h and harvested 48 h post-DNA-transfection. Luciferase activity normalized to β-gal activity determined in the same sample. Mean ± SD of n = 4 repeats; ∗p< 0.05, T test.

(B) Primary cortical neurons from C57BL/6 α-Syn −/− mouse brains, electroporated to co-express RARE-driven GFP reporter gene together with α-Syn or pcDNA (mock) plasmid. At 4 DIV, cultured neurons were treated with RA (50 nM) or DMSO for 24 h and processed for ICC at 48 h post-DNA-transfection. α-Syn immunoreactivity obtained with an anti α-Syn MJF-1 antibody (red); GFP signal (green) captured directly at 488 nm; nuclei stained with DAPI (blue). Bar = 5 μm.

(C) Graph bars depict quantification of the GFP signal in primary cortical neurons as in (B). Mean ± SD of n = 25–30 cells, ∗p< 0.05, T test.