2008). cDNA samples were prepared from seven separate samples of brain tissue astrocytes and microglia. Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis was performed in triplicate using a MJ mini instrument (BioRad, Hercules, CA) using Fast Start Universal SYBR Green (Roche Diagnostic Japan, Tokyo, Japan).

PCR conditions were as follows: 50°C for 2 min, 95°C for 10 min, followed by 40 cycles of 95°C for 15 s and 60°C for 1 min. All gene-specific mRNA expression values were normalized against β-actin mRNA. The primer sequences for each gene, as well as the sizes of their products, are Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical listed in Table 1. Table 1 Oligonucleotide primers for real-time RT-PCR Immunoblotting The ventral midbrain from the opposite side of the tissue used for qRT-PCR (n = 7) was immediately homogenized Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical with SDS solution in 10 volumes of Laemmli’s sample solution containing 3% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The lysates were electrophoresed, transferred to nitrocellulose membranes, and immunoblotted with antibodies to β-actin, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), Iba1, NG2, and Bcl-xL (Table 2). The immunoreaction was visualized using nitro blue tetrazolium and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate,

as described previously (Tanaka et al. 1998). Immunoreactive bands were analyzed by densitometry using ImageJ 1.43u (Wayne Rasband, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, ML). The densitometry Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical data were standardized with the internal standard β-actin. Table 2 Primary antibodies used in this study Immunohistochemical staining The primary antibodies listed in Table 2 were used for indirect immunofluorescence Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical staining (Yokoyama et al. 2006). Briefly, anesthetized rats were fixed by transcardially perfusing 4% paraformaldehyde containing 2 mM MgCl2 for 10 min, at a flow rate of 80 mL/min. The dissected brains

were Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical immersed in 15% sucrose in PBS at 4°C overnight, rapidly frozen in dry ice powder, and sliced into 10-μm thick coronal sections at the substantia nigra level (from bregma 4.80 mm to 5.40 mm). The brain sections were incubated with the primary antibodies followed by incubation with DyLight 488, DyLight 549, and/or DyLight next 649-labeled secondary antibodies (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, West Grove, PA). small molecule library screening Hoechst 33258 (Sigma) was used for nuclear staining. The immunostained specimens were observed with a Nikon A1 confocal laser scan microscope (CLSM; Tokyo, Japan) using 20× or 60× objective lenses. The area observed was 2.0–2.3 mm lateral from the midline. Morphometric analysis Brain sections processed as described above were triple-immunostained with antibodies to Iba1, TH, and NG2. To determine the area occupied by DArgic neurons, microglia, and NG2 glia, and also their overlapping area in the SNpc of the sections, micrographs were taken with the CLSM using a 20× lens. The images were processed using Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended (Adobe Systems, San Jose, CA) and ImageJ 1.43u.