Fig. 6

αSYN solubility and distribution analysis in hαSYN mice. a Confocal 8-bit images showing TH and αSYN in the substantia nigra (SN) of hαSYN^veh/MCC mice. Scale bars 100 µm. b TH⁺ cells in hαSYN^MCC mice compared to hαSYN^veh mice [t(10) = 3.432, P = 0.0064]. c Comparison of αSYN⁺ cells in hαSYN^veh/MCC mice [t(10) = 0.3342, P = 0.7452, n = 6 mice]. d TH⁺ and αSYN⁺ double positive cells hαSYN^veh/MCC mice. The number of cell per mm² are shown [t(10) = 2.239, P = 0.0491, n = 6]. e Ratio of TH⁺ /αSYN⁺ cells in hαSYN^veh/MCC mice [t(10) = 3.307, P = 0.0079]. f, g Mean intensity of αSYN immunoreactivity within the SN before [f; t(12) = 1.966, P = 0.0729] or after [g; t(12) = 1.288, P = 0.2219] digestion with proteinase K (PK). h Relative PK-mediated loss of αSYN immunoreactivity (clearance) within the SN of hαSYN^veh/MCC mice [t(12) = 4.274, P = 0.0011]. i SN region of vehicle-treated hαSYN mice indicating loss of neuronal somata, demonstrated by loss of anti-MAP2 and anti-TH immunoreactivity, in representative αSYN⁺ clusters (arrowheads, Scale bars 25 µm). j Percentage of αSYN⁺ and MAP2⁺ cells in hαSYN^veh/MCC mice (Mann–Whitney test two-tailed, P = 0.0286). Data in b–e and j were accessed from confocal x, y–z image stacks. Data in f–h were accessed from epifluorescence tile-stack images. Statistics in b–h result from two-tailed t test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001