Immunohistochemical study on the distribution of Bcl-2 and Bax in the central nervous system of the transgenic mice expressing a human Cu/Zn SOD mutation.

In the present study, we performed immunohistochemical studies to investigate the changes of Bcl-2 and Bax in the central nervous system of the transgenic mice expressing a human Cu/Zn SOD mutation. In contrast to the controls, a high density of Bcl-2-IR astrocytes were detected all around the gray matter of the spinal cord of the mutant transgenic mice. Bcl-2-IR astrocytes were also detected in the cerebellum and brainstem of transgenic mice. Specific immunoreactivity for Bax was seen in the spinal cord and brainstem of transgenic mice. Immunostaining for Bax was identified only in neurons and not in glial cells. Our present study demonstrated the distribution of Bcl-2 and Bax in detail using immunohistochemical methods through the central nervous system of the transgenic mice, for the first time.