Figure 2

The effect of parkin protein loss on synthesis and storage of striatal dopamine. Whole synaptosomes and synaptosomal fractions were isolated from striata of the 2 month-old parkin knockout (PKO) and wild type (WT) Long Evans male rats. Compared with the WT controls, there was no significant difference in the immunoreactivity of (A) TH (detected at ~60 kDa) or (B) VMAT2 (detected at ~70–75 kDa and 55 kDa, representing glycosylated and partially glycosylated VMAT2, respectively) in synaptosomal fractions from the striata of WT and PKO rats. An additional band of ~65 kDa was apparent in the vesicular fraction of VMAt2. (2Bi) A representative blot containing all synaptosomal fractions and the corresponding total protein content. (2Bii) VMAT2 levels in total synaptosomal fraction and corresponding ß-actin levels as well as another representative blot showing VMAT2 in synaptosomal fractions. Abbreviations: Mem, membrane fraction; Ves, vesicular fraction; VMAT2, vesicular monoamine transporter 2; TH, tyrosine hydroxylase; Tot, total synaptosomal fraction. The data are expressed as mean ± SEM.