Nile Red fluorescence spectroscopy reports early physicochemical changes in myelin with high sensitivity

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016897118
• Publication Date: 2021-02-16T22:30:11Z
• Authors: Wulin Teo; Andrew V. Caprari...; Megan L. Morgan; Antonio Luchicchi; Geert J. Schenk; Jeffrey T. Joseph; Jeroen J. G. Geurts; Peter K. Stys
• Keywords: Nile red; West Nile virus

The molecular composition of myelin membranes determines their structure and function. Even minute changes to the biochemical balance can have profound consequences for axonal conduction synchronicity neural networks. Hypothesizing that earliest indication injury involves in and/or polarity its constituent lipids, we developed a sensitive spectroscopic technique defining chemical lipids fixed frozen tissue sections from rodent human. method uses simple staining procedure involving lipophilic dye Nile Red, whose fluorescence spectrum varies according microenvironment into which embeds. Red spectroscopy identified histologically intact yet biochemically altered prelesioned tissues, including mouse white matter following subdemyelinating cuprizone intoxication, as well normal-appearing multiple sclerosis brain. offers relatively highly detecting subtle changes.