The effect of bleaching on the lipopigments in the human sympathetic neurons

The effect of exposure to H2O2 on the lipopigments of the human sympathetic neurons was investigated by fluorescence and electron microscopy. In intact ganglia two subtypes of the lipopigment were seen: the yellow fluorescent pigment (emission maximum at 510 nm), which under the electron microscope had two components (vacuoles and osmiophilic matrix) and the orange fluorescent pigment (emission maximum at 535 nm), which in electron microscopy showed a third, highly osmiophilic component. Bleaching did not change the emission spectrum of the yellow pigment, while that of orange pigment shifted from 535 nm to 485 nm. Under electron microscopy the highly osmiophilic component disappeared in bleached orange pigment bodies. The characteristics of orange autofluorescent lipopigment are similar to those described for neuromelanin in the substantia nigra. The results suggest that neuromelanin accumulates in aging sympathetic neurons.