Figure 13. DP and Pom mitigate α-synuclein-induced losses of dopaminergic neurons and neurites as well as microglial cell activation in primary cultures.

Chronic (72 hr) application of oligomeric α-synuclein (250 nM) to a primary co-culture of dopaminergic neurons and microglia resulted in (A) a reduction of dopaminergic neuronal cell survival, (B) a reduction in neurite number per cell, and (C) an elevated expression of OX41-positive microglial cells, indicative of microglial activation. A 1 hr pretreatment with DP or Pom significantly mitigated these α-synuclein-induced effects. Mean ± S.E.M. (n = 5–6 per group). *p<0.05 vs. the α-synuclein alone (red bar) group.