PD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the mesencephalon and by progressive reduction of dopaminergic innervation of the dorsal striatum. Symptoms of PD are impairments of motor and cognitive functions, and vegetative disturbances. Among other findings, PD is associated with increased ubiquitination and with the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in Lewy bodies and dystrophic neurites.
These findings have led to the generation of several transgenic mouse models that express different isoforms of human alpha-synuclein under control of different promoters, in order to investigate pathological changes and test the efficacy of pharmaceutical compounds in preclinical drug development studies in vivo. Consequently, interference with aggregation of alpha-synuclein is a common target in the development of pharmaceutical approaches to prevent or ameliorate PD.
QPS Neuropharmacology has a license to Patent Rights owned by the Regents of the University of California for providing commercial testing services with two human alpha-synuclein transgenic mouse lines developed by Dr. Eliezer Masliah of UCSD. The alpha-synuclein transgenic mouse lines available at QPS Neuropharmacology feature different cellular expression patterns of human alpha-synuclein, age at onset and progression of pathology. These animals constitute suitable models to study the influence of drugs on alpha-synuclein-related brain pathology and behavior.
QPS Neuropharmacology offers a custom tailored study design for these models and we are flexible to accommodate to your special interests. We are also happy to advice you and propose study designs. QPS Neuropharmacology maintains its own colonies directly in our research facility. Non-transgenic littermates are available as control animals needed for proper study design.
We would be happy to test your compounds in these mouse models! Readouts depend on model but the most common are:
- α-synuclein levels and aggregates
- Phosphorylated α-synuclein
- Neuroinflammation
- Motor deficits
- Hyperactivity
- Synaptic loss
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QPS Neuropharmacology is also ready to provide samples (brain tissue, CSF etc.) from these animals for analyses in your laboratory.