Fig. 2

Ubiquitous expression of PARIS causes progressive DA neuron degeneration. a Representative confocal image of the adult Drosophila brain stained with anti-TH showing the location of the major DA neuron clusters PPL1, PPL2, PPM1/2, and PPM3. Scale = 100 μM. b Representative confocal images showing individual DA neuron clusters in control (Act-Gal4/+), PARIS and C571A flies at the indicated time points. Scale = 50 μM. c Quantification of DA neuron number in the indicated dopaminergic cluster in flies ubiquitously expressing PARIS on days 1, 10 and 30 shows progressive loss of DA neurons compared to C571A and control flies (Act-Gal4/+), N = 10 flies per age group for the indicated genotypes. d Total number of DA neurons in the PPL1, PPL2, PPM1/2, and PPM3 clusters reveal age-related progression of neuron loss in PARIS but not C571A flies. e High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of DA levels in fly heads shows significant reduction in DA content in PARIS but not in C571A flies compared to Act-Gal4/+ controls. Quantitative data = mean ± SEM, One-way ANOVA *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ****p < 0.0001. See also Additional file 8, Figure S1