[Histonet] formic acid treatment and alpha-synuclein staining

[Tyrone Genade]

Hello,

I'm do some research on alpha-synucleinopathies and how to stain them. I am
reading, from the Braak et al papers, that the slides need be treated for
10 minutes with formic acid. The method is largely absent. I'm a biochemist
so I understand the formic acid is denaturing and unfolding the aggregates
and exposing the epitopes. Would this effect the ability to label other
epitopes such as plaques and tangles, tyrosine-hydroxylase, FOX2A etc..?
Does anyone have any experience in double-labeling sections for Lewy Bodies
and other proteins?

In the same paper an alternative method of a 48 hr incubation on the slide
is suggested. Details of the staining buffer are absent but I'm hunting
them down and expect to find something like Triton X-100 in it which will
again unfold the aggregate (a little).

Does anyone have a reliable protocol to share? I'm now several references
deep* from my original article and am still trying to find the paper that
describes the method.

Thanks
-- 
Tyrone Genade

*Back in my Biochemistry days we played a game: Hunting for Bradford.
Essential, select a paper at random, see if it uses the Bradford Assay and
find out how many papers you had to read before arriving at the original
paper by Bradford. My then Prof held the record at some 30+ papers...

Orange City, Iowa
tel: (+1) 712 230 4101
http://tgenade.freeshell.org
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