Fig. 4
a-d Representative photomicrographs of α-syn33 (marker for oligomeric α-synuclein) staining. e-h Representative photomicrographs of α-sy211 (marker for oligomeric α-synuclein) staining. a, e T cell deficient (nude) rats injected with AAV9-GFP (n = 10); b, f T cell deficient rats injected with AAV9-human α-synuclein (αsyn) (n = 10); c, g T cell competent (heterozygous nude) rats injected with AAV9-GFP (n = 10); d, h T cell competent rats injected with AAV9-human α-synuclein (n = 10). i Bar graph shows the expression level of α-synuclein oligomers by staining with anti-αsyn211 antibody in SNpc region when examined 2-month post-surgery. Both nude rats and heterozygous nude rats injected with AAV9- α-syn showed similar range of α-synuclein oligomer expression with respect to the dopamine neurons in the SNpc region. j Bar graph shows the area units of the α-syn oligomer expression when stained with the α-syn33 antibody (donation from Dr. Rakez Kayed [28]). Like the α-syn211 staining, no significant difference was observed in the expression level of α-syn oligomers in the two groups treated with AAV9-α-syn with respect to the dopamine neurons in the SNpc region. k Bar graph shows the number of α-syn oligomers (stereology counting) in the SNpc region with respect to the dopamine neurons. Like the NearCYTE software comparison, stereology counting of α-syn oligomers did not show any significant difference between both groups treated with AAV9-α-syn. The bars in the graph represent mean ± standard error of the mean