Expression of Alpha-Synuclein During Eye Development of Bufo arabicus

Alpha-synuclein contributes to neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized with the increase of its expression and collectively known as synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy’s bodies. A healthy balance of alpha-synuclein is important for preventing synucleinopathies, whereas the normal physiological role of alpha-synuclein is still under investigation. The present study was designed to evaluate the involvement of alpha-synuclein in the eye of Bufo arabicus during development, metamorphosis and adult stage. Different larval and adult stages of Bufo arabicus were obtained for histological and immunofluorescent expression of alpha-synuclein during eye development. The results showed that alphasynuclein expression was associated with differentiation and migration of periocular mesenchyme cells that will form the trabecular meshwork. Also, alphasynuclein expression was detected in the ciliary body at the adult stage. This study confirmed an additional role of alpha-synuclein during the development of the anterior eye chamber. On the other hand, synuclein expressions in Bufo arabicus under study helps improve our knowledge about gene conservation studies and the mechanisms by which the anterior chamber of the vertebrate eye is differentiated during development. Also, synuclein might be considered as an evolutionary conserved gene expression during eye development of Bufo arabicus.