Characterization of 18kDa Mitochondrial Translocator Protein in Relation to Neuropathological Elements of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Fluorescence microscopy of TSPO transfected HEK cell cultures labeled with Carboxy-H2DCFDA and treated with Beta Amyloid (Aβ) and α-synuclein (α-syn) resulted in DAPI fluorescing Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) nuclei in blue and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) fluorescing reactive oxygen species (ROS) or oxidative stress in cell cytoplasm in green. Preliminary study suggests TSPO transfected cells may be used to test oxidative stress with disease pathological elements (Aβ and α-synuclein). In IHC, TSPO immunoreactivity was observed in IBA1 and LN3 marked microglia with varying degrees of expression. Beaded structures were also observed with TSPO immunoreactivities, possibly representing microglia processes. TSPO immunoreactivity was observed in and surrounding amyloid plaques and p-tau immunoreactive neurites. This demonstrates that TSPO is predominantly expressed in microglia and are closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathological elements, suggesting involvement of TSPO-expressing microglia in neurodegenerative processes.
- Author (aut): Wu, Michael
- Thesis director: Lue, Lih-Fen
- Committee member: Washo-Krupps, Delon
- Contributor (ctb): School of Life Sciences
- Contributor (ctb): School of Molecular Sciences
- Contributor (ctb): Barrett, The Honors College