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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Virus and Prion Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #313965
Title: Raman spectroscopy reveals spectroscopic changes in histologically normal retinas in a mouse model of alpha-synucleinopathy

Author
item WEST GREENLEE, MARY - Iowa State University
item PLATT, EKUNDAYO - Iowa State University
item YU, CHENXU - Iowa State University
item BARON, THIERRY - French Agency For Food, Environmental And Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES)
item Greenlee, Justin

Submitted to: Prion
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The retina is an extension of the nervous system and is accessible for in vivo assessments. We have previously demonstrated changes in retinal function and pathology associated with scrapie, TME and BSE. The purpose of this work was to determine the utility of the retina to identify early CNS changes associated with alpha-synucleinopathy. TgM83 mice express the human A3T mutated alpha-synuclein and develop motor disease and p129ser alpha-synuclein aggregates at 12-18 months of age. Disease develops at approximately six months when the brain of a young TgM83 mouse is seeded with brain homogenate from a clinically ill TgM83 mouse. Retinas from TgM83 mice seeded at 2 months of age and euthanized at 8 and 12 weeks post inoculation (PI) were examined for retinal changes. Microscopic examination (HE stain) revealed no detectable difference between retinas from inoculated and non-inoculated TgM83 mice, nor was there any detectable difference between inoculated TgM83 animals and wild-type age matched control animals. Immunostaining for Iba-1 was used to assess microglia in retinal tissue. Iba-1 immunoreactivity was increased in inoculated TgM83 mice at 8 and 12 weeks PI when compared to age-matched non-inoculated TgM83 mice and wild-type animals, suggesting a neuro-inflamatory response in the tissue. Raman spectroscopy was used on retinal sections. The results demonstrate a 76-79% prediction accuracy when comparing spectra from inoculated animals to wild type animals or non-inoculated animals, respectively. Early CNS changes associated with alpha-synucleinopathy are present in the retina and result in spectral changes detectable by a Raman-based in vivo diagnostic.