The intragranular location of carboxyl groups in neuromelanin and lipofuscin in human brain and in meningeal melanosomes in mouse brain

Abstract

The intragranular location of carboxyl groups was tinctorially determined in human substantia nigra neuromelanin granules, human inferior olive lipofuscin granules, and mouse meningeal melanosomes. Soluble and insoluble lipid was stained with beta naphthol Sudans in unoxidized and oxidized frozen and paraffin sections containing neuromelanin or lipofuscin. Nile blue demonstrated carboxyls in unoxidized neuromelanin, lipofuscin, and melanin, and in oxidized neuromelanin and lipofuscin. Carbodiimide demonstrated carboxyls in unoxidized and oxidized lipofuscin and oxidized neuromelanin. In all instances, staining for carboxyls was inhibited by prior mild methylation, and proof of their presence was obtained by a pre-staining, stepwise, alternating, and repetitive mild demethylation, mild methylation sequence. Structurally, carboxyls were demonstrated in the neuromelanin granule's soluble lipid-free lipofuscin component, in the meningeal melanosome's melanin component, and virtually throughout the lipofuscin granule. The following structural and chemical basis was proposed for the different resistance of Nile blue staining of melanosomes and of neuromelanin and lipofuscin to acetone extraction. Nile blue forms an insoluble complex with melanosomal dopa-melanin's quinonoid, diphenolic, and undissociated carboxyl units. Such complex formation does not occur in neuromelanin's carboxyl-free dopamine-melanin component, however. Instead, Nile blue ionogenicly bonds with dissociated carboxyls belonging to the neuromelanin granule's lipofuscin component.