Measurement of pre- and post-synaptic proteins in cerebral cortex: Effects of post-mortem delay

Wilcock, Gordon Keith; Dawbarn, David; Siew, Lai Khai; Love, Seth; Allen, Shelley Jane

Abstract

Assessments of synaptic density in human brain are often based on measurements of synaptic proteins. Little information is available on their post-mortem stability. We have investigated this by ELISAs of the pre-synaptic proteins syntaxin and synaptophysin, and the post-synaptic protein PSD-95, in rat and human cortex. The rat brains were cooled in situ from 37 to 20 or 4°C over 3 h, and then kept at 20 or 4°C for a further 24-72 h, to simulate post-mortem storage at room temperature or in a mortuary refrigerator. Synaptophysin and PSD-95 levels in rat cerebral cortex were not significantly decreased after 72 h of incubation at 20°C. Syntaxin was stable for 24 h but decreased by 39-44% at 48-72 h. Storage at 4°C resulted in a similar reduction of syntaxin levels over 72 h. In human brain tissue from 160 people aged 24-102 years, post-mortem delay had little effect on synaptic protein levels in superior temporal cortex, but was associated with a decline in PSD-95 and syntaxin in mid-frontal cortex after 24 h. The more robust stability of synaptophysin may be related to its multi-transmembrane structure. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Oct 30, 2004
• Journal: Journal of Neuroscience Methods
• Print ISSN: 0165-0270
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 139
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 153-159
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2004.04.020
• Keywords: pre- and post-synaptic proteins, cerebral cortex, post-mortem delay
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1063300
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2004.04.020