Sections of foveomacular areas of age-matched control eyes for SQSTM1/p62, ubiquitin and ELAVL1/HuR.

The extent of cytoplasmic immunopositivity for SQSTM1/p62, Bruch’s membrane immunopositivity for ubiquitin and the immunopositivity of nuclei of RPE cells for ELAVL1/HuR (foveomacular areas shown; A, B and C respectively) in the RPE cells (shown by arrows) was evaluated microscopically (no staining or positive staining). For SQSTM1/p62 there were only a few immunopositive cytoplasm’s randomly distributed through-out the RPE cell layer and the nuclei were negative. Bruch’s membrane (shown by arrowheads) was immunopositive for ubiquitin occasionally through-out the RPE cell layer in very small amounts while all of the nuclei were negative. Half of the nuclei showed minor immunopositivity for ELAVL1/HuR while the cytoplasm’s of RPE cells were negative. The foveomacular areas showed no difference in immunohistochemical stainings when compared to areas of perimacular and peripheral retina in all of the proteins studied. (Original magnifications of x 200 and in insets x 400).