Subthalamic hGAD65 Gene Therapy and Striatum TH Gene Transfer in a Parkinson’s Disease Rat Model
Figure 5
Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry in the SNc and VTA. The numbers of TH-positive cells in the rAAV2-hGAD65 group were similar to that of the fibroblasts- (TH) and combination-treated groups at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after treatment. The lost number of the TH-positive neurons of SNc and VTA was decreased from 4 weeks to 16 weeks after treatment of all these three groups. At first, the cellular morphology was similar to the normal TH-positive neuron in the SNc and VTA (a, b, d, e, g, and h). At week 16, the TH-positive neurons were dramatically reduced, and neurites were shrunken or disrupted. In some model rats, there were no TH-positive neurons in SNc and VTA (c, f, and i). (a, b, and c) fibroblasts (TH) group at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after treatment, respectively; (d, e, and f), rAAV2-hGAD65 group at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after treatment; (g, h, and i), combination group at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after treatment, respectively. Bar = 100 μm.
