Administration of LPS-Stimulated Autologous Macrophages Induces α-Synuclein Aggregation in Dopaminergic Neurons of Rat Brain

Administration of autologous macrophages isolated from the abdominal cavity and stimulated in vitro with bacterial LPS to rats increased blood level of antibodies against alpha-synuclein. Antibody titer reached its maximum during week 5 of the experiment and exceeded the levels of anti-alpha-synuclein antibodies appeared in response to transplantation of non-stimulated macrophages. Brain immunohistochemistry showed that additional administration of LPS (250 mu g/kg) to animals during week 4 after injection of LPS-stimulated macrophages led to alpha-synuclein accumulation in 9.4 +/- 3.2% dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. These findings attest to induction of humoral immune response to alpha-synuclein in rats after administration of autologous LPS-stimulated macrophages, which can affect alpha-synuclein metabolism in dopaminergic neurons of the brain.