Abstract
Although much is known regarding the molecular mechanisms leading to neuronal cell loss in Parkinson’s disease (PD), the initiating event has not been identified. Prevailing theories including a chemical insult or infectious agent have been postulated as possible triggers, leading to neuroinflammation. We present immunohistochemical data indicating the presence of influenza A virus within the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) from postmortem PD brain sections. Influenza A virus labeling was identified within neuromelanin granules as well as on tissue macrophages in the SNpc. Further supporting a role for neuroinflammation in PD was the identification of T-lymphocytes that colocalized with an antibody to caspase-cleaved Beclin-1 within the SNpc. The presence of influenza A virus together with macrophages and Tlymphocytes may contribute to the neuroinflammation associated with this disease.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e20495 |
| Journal | History Faculty Publications and Presentations |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 31 May 2011 |
Keywords
- Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/metabolism
- Beclin-1
- Brain/metabolism
- Humans
- Immunohistochemistry
- In Situ Nick-End Labeling
- In Vitro Techniques
- Inflammation/metabolism
- Influenza A virus/isolation & purification
- Melanins/metabolism
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Microscopy, Fluorescence
- Parkinson Disease/metabolism
- Substantia Nigra/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
EGS Disciplines
- Biology
