Immunohistochemical analysis of nucleotide excision repair factors XPA and XPB in adult rat brain.

To study the regional and cellular distribution of xeroderma pigmentosum group A and B (XPA and XPB) proteins, two nucleotide excision repair (NER) factors, in the mammalian brain we used immunohistochemistry and triple fluorescent immunostaining combined with confocal microscope scanning in brain slices of adult rat brain, including the cerebral cortex, striatum, substantia nigra compacta, ventral tegmental area, red nucleus, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Both XPA and XPB proteins were mainly expressed in neurons, because the XPA- or XPB-immunopositive cells were only costained with NeuN, a specific neuronal marker, but not with glial fibrillary acidic acid, a specific astrocyte marker, in the striatum. Furthermore, XPA- and XPB-positive staining were observed in the neuronal nuclei. Such subcellular distribution was consistent with the location of the NER in the cells. This study provides the first evidence that NER factors XPA and XPB exist in the nuclei of neurons in the brain, suggesting that the NER may play important roles in the process of DNA repair in adult brain neurons.