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Ambrosini YM, Borcherding D, Kanthasamy A, Kim HJ, Willette AA, Jergens A, Allenspach K, Mochel JP. The Gut-Brain Axis in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Relevance of the Canine Model: A Review. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:130. [PMID: 31275138 PMCID: PMC6591269 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying appropriate animal models is critical in developing translatable in vitro and in vivo systems for therapeutic drug development and investigating disease pathophysiology. These animal models should have direct biological and translational relevance to the underlying disease they are supposed to mimic. Aging dogs not only naturally develop a cognitive decline in many aspects including learning and memory deficits, but they also exhibit human-like individual variability in the aging process. Neurodegenerative processes that can be observed in both human and canine brains include the progressive accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) found as diffuse plaques in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), including the gyrus proreus (i.e., medial orbital PFC), as well as the hippocampus and the cerebral vasculature. Tau pathology, a marker of neurodegeneration and dementia progression, was also found in canine hippocampal synapses. Various epidemiological data show that human patients with neurodegenerative diseases have concurrent intestinal lesions, and histopathological changes in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract occurs decades before neurodegenerative changes. Gut microbiome alterations have also been reported in many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's diseases, as well as inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Interestingly, the dog gut microbiome more closely resembles human gut microbiome in composition and functional overlap compared to rodent models. This article reviews the physiology of the gut-brain axis (GBA) and its involvement with neurodegenerative diseases in humans. Additionally, we outline the advantages and weaknesses of current in vitro and in vivo models and discuss future research directions investigating major human neurodegenerative diseases such as AD and Parkinson's diseases using dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko M. Ambrosini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Dana Borcherding
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Anumantha Kanthasamy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Hyun Jung Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Auriel A. Willette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Albert Jergens
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Karin Allenspach
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jonathan P. Mochel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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2
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Prpar Mihevc S, Majdič G. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction and Alzheimer's Disease - Two Facets of the Same Disease? Front Neurosci 2019; 13:604. [PMID: 31249505 PMCID: PMC6582309 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases present a major and increasing burden in the societies worldwide. With aging populations, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing, yet there are no effective cures and very few treatment options are available. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions and although the pathology is well studied, the pathogenesis of this debilitating illness is still poorly understood. This is, among other reasons, also due to the lack of good animal models as laboratory rodents do not develop spontaneous neurodegenerative diseases and human Alzheimer’s disease is only partially mimicked by transgenic rodent models. On the other hand, older dogs commonly develop canine cognitive dysfunction, a disease that is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in many aspects. Dogs show cognitive deficits that could be paralleled to human symptoms such as disorientation, memory loss, changes in behavior, and in their brains, beta amyloid plaques are commonly detected both in extracellular space as senile plaques and around the blood vessels. Dogs could be therefore potentially a very good model for studying pathological process and novel treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease. In the present article, we will review the current knowledge about the pathogenesis of canine cognitive dysfunction, its similarities and dissimilarities with Alzheimer’s disease, and developments of novel treatments for these two diseases with a focus on canine cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Prpar Mihevc
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute for Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Majdič
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute for Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Medical Faculty, Institute for Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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3
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Animal models of cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Clin Sci (Lond) 2017; 131:2469-2488. [PMID: 28963121 DOI: 10.1042/cs20170033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), due to vascular amyloid β (Aβ) deposition, is a risk factor for intracerebral haemorrhage and dementia. CAA can occur in sporadic or rare hereditary forms, and is almost invariably associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Experimental (animal) models are of great interest in studying mechanisms and potential treatments for CAA. Naturally occurring animal models of CAA exist, including cats, dogs and non-human primates, which can be used for longitudinal studies. However, due to ethical considerations and low throughput of these models, other animal models are more favourable for research. In the past two decades, a variety of transgenic mouse models expressing the human Aβ precursor protein (APP) has been developed. Many of these mouse models develop CAA in addition to senile plaques, whereas some of these models were generated specifically to study CAA. In addition, other animal models make use of a second stimulus, such as hypoperfusion or hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), to accelerate CAA. In this manuscript, we provide a comprehensive review of existing animal models for CAA, which can aid in understanding the pathophysiology of CAA and explore the response to potential therapies.
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4
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Schütt T, Helboe L, Pedersen LØ, Waldemar G, Berendt M, Pedersen JT. Dogs with Cognitive Dysfunction as a Spontaneous Model for Early Alzheimer's Disease: A Translational Study of Neuropathological and Inflammatory Markers. J Alzheimers Dis 2017; 52:433-49. [PMID: 27003213 DOI: 10.3233/jad-151085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Aged companion dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) spontaneously develop varying degrees of progressive cognitive decline and particular neuropathological features correspondent to the changes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in humans. The aim of the present study was to characterize certain aspects of neuropathology and inflammatory markers related to aging and CCD in dogs in comparison with human AD. Fifteen brains from aged dogs with normal cognitive function, mild cognitive impairment, or CCD were investigated and compared with two control brains from young dogs and brain sections from human AD subjects. The neuropathological investigations included evaluation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque deposition (N-terminally truncated and pyroglutamyl-modified Aβ included), tau pathology, and inflammatory markers in prefrontal cortex. Cortical Aβ deposition was found to be only of the diffuse subtype as no dense-core or neuritic plaques were found. The Aβ deposition followed a progressive pattern in four maturation stages. Accumulation of the Aβ peptide was also observed in the vessel walls. Both immunohistochemically and biochemically measured levels of Aβ pathology in prefrontal cortex showed a consistent positive correlation to age but not to cognitive deficit severity. No evidence of neurofibrillary tau pathology was found. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokines was generally low and showed no significant association to cognitive status. The findings of the present study support the senescent dog with spontaneous cognitive dysfunction as a valuable non-transgenic model for further investigations of the molecular events involved in the neurodegenerative processes associated with aging and early stage AD, especially the Aβ-related pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trine Schütt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neurodegeneration, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | - Lone Helboe
- Department of Neurodegeneration, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | | | - Gunhild Waldemar
- Danish Dementia Research Centre, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette Berendt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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5
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Hainsworth AH, Allan SM, Boltze J, Cunningham C, Farris C, Head E, Ihara M, Isaacs JD, Kalaria RN, Lesnik Oberstein SAMJ, Moss MB, Nitzsche B, Rosenberg GA, Rutten JW, Salkovic-Petrisic M, Troen AM. Translational models for vascular cognitive impairment: a review including larger species. BMC Med 2017; 15:16. [PMID: 28118831 PMCID: PMC5264492 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-017-0793-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disease models are useful for prospective studies of pathology, identification of molecular and cellular mechanisms, pre-clinical testing of interventions, and validation of clinical biomarkers. Here, we review animal models relevant to vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). A synopsis of each model was initially presented by expert practitioners. Synopses were refined by the authors, and subsequently by the scientific committee of a recent conference (International Conference on Vascular Dementia 2015). Only peer-reviewed sources were cited. METHODS We included models that mimic VCI-related brain lesions (white matter hypoperfusion injury, focal ischaemia, cerebral amyloid angiopathy) or reproduce VCI risk factors (old age, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia, high-salt/high-fat diet) or reproduce genetic causes of VCI (CADASIL-causing Notch3 mutations). CONCLUSIONS We concluded that (1) translational models may reflect a VCI-relevant pathological process, while not fully replicating a human disease spectrum; (2) rodent models of VCI are limited by paucity of white matter; and (3) further translational models, and improved cognitive testing instruments, are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atticus H Hainsworth
- Clinical Neurosciences (J-0B) Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK. .,Department of Neurology, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - Stuart M Allan
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Johannes Boltze
- Department of Translational Medicine and Cell Technology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Catriona Cunningham
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Chad Farris
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Masafumi Ihara
- Department of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jeremy D Isaacs
- Clinical Neurosciences (J-0B) Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK.,Department of Neurology, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Raj N Kalaria
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | | | - Mark B Moss
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Björn Nitzsche
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gary A Rosenberg
- Department of Neurology, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Julie W Rutten
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Melita Salkovic-Petrisic
- Department of Pharmacology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Aron M Troen
- Institute of Biochemistry Food and Nutrition Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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6
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Youssef SA, Capucchio MT, Rofina JE, Chambers JK, Uchida K, Nakayama H, Head E. Pathology of the Aging Brain in Domestic and Laboratory Animals, and Animal Models of Human Neurodegenerative Diseases. Vet Pathol 2016; 53:327-48. [DOI: 10.1177/0300985815623997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
According to the WHO, the proportion of people over 60 years is increasing and expected to reach 22% of total world’s population in 2050. In parallel, recent animal demographic studies have shown that the life expectancy of pet dogs and cats is increasing. Brain aging is associated not only with molecular and morphological changes but also leads to different degrees of behavioral and cognitive dysfunction. Common age-related brain lesions in humans include brain atrophy, neuronal loss, amyloid plaques, cerebrovascular amyloid angiopathy, vascular mineralization, neurofibrillary tangles, meningeal osseous metaplasia, and accumulation of lipofuscin. In aging humans, the most common neurodegenerative disorder is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which progressively impairs cognition, behavior, and quality of life. Pathologic changes comparable to the lesions of AD are described in several other animal species, although their clinical significance and effect on cognitive function are poorly documented. This review describes the commonly reported age-associated neurologic lesions in domestic and laboratory animals and the relationship of these lesions to cognitive dysfunction. Also described are the comparative interspecies similarities and differences to AD and other human neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, and the spontaneous and transgenic animal models of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. A. Youssef
- Department of Pathobiology, Dutch Molecular Pathology Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - M. T. Capucchio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Torino University, Torino, Italy
| | - J. E. Rofina
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - J. K. Chambers
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - K. Uchida
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - H. Nakayama
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - E. Head
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, UK, USA
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7
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Oxidative Stress and Protein Quality Control Systems in the Aged Canine Brain as a Model for Human Neurodegenerative Disorders. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2015; 2015:940131. [PMID: 26078824 PMCID: PMC4442305 DOI: 10.1155/2015/940131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Aged dogs are considered the most suitable spontaneous animal model for studying normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Elderly canines naturally develop cognitive dysfunction and neuropathological hallmarks similar to those seen in humans, especially Alzheimer's disease-like pathology. Pet dogs also share similar living conditions and diets to humans. Oxidative damage accumulates in the canine brain during aging, making dogs a valid model for translational antioxidant treatment/prevention studies. Evidence suggests the presence of detective protein quality control systems, involving ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs), in the aged canine brain. Further studies on the canine model are needed to clarify the role of age-related changes in UPS activity and HSP expression in neurodegeneration in order to design novel treatment strategies, such as HSP-based therapies, aimed at improving chaperone defences against proteotoxic stress affecting brain during aging.
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8
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Abstract
Aging dogs and cats show neurodegenerative features that are similar to human aging and Alzheimer disease. Neuropathologic changes with age may be linked to signs of cognitive dysfunction both in the laboratory and in a clinic setting. Less is known about cat brain aging and cognition and this represents an area for further study. Neurodegenerative diseases such as lysosomal storage diseases in dogs and cats also show similar features of human aging, suggesting some common underlying pathogenic mechanisms and also suggesting pathways that can be modified to promote healthy brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Vite
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Section of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Studies - Philadelphia, 3900 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 800 South Limestone Street, 203 Sanders Brown Building, Lexington, KY 40515, USA.
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9
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Snow AD, Malouf AT. In vitroandin vivomodels to unravel the potential roles of β/A4 in the pathogenesis of alzheimer's disease. Hippocampus 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.1993.4500030729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan D. Snow
- Departments of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
| | - Alfred T. Malouf
- Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A
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10
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Head E. A canine model of human aging and Alzheimer's disease. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2013; 1832:1384-9. [PMID: 23528711 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2013.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Revised: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The aged dog naturally develops cognitive decline in many different domains (including learning and memory) but also exhibits human-like individual variability in the aging process. The neurobiological basis for cognitive dysfunction may be related to structural changes that reflect neurodegeneration. Molecular cascades that contribute to degeneration in the aging dog brain include the progressive accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) in diffuse plaques and in the cerebral vasculature. In addition, neuronal dysfunction occurs as a consequence of mitochondrial dysfunction and cumulative oxidative damage. In combination, the aged dog captures key features of human aging, making them particularly useful for the development of preventive or therapeutic interventions to improve aged brain function. These interventions can then be translated into human clinical trials. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Animal Models of Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Head
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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11
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Martin SB, Dowling ALS, Head E. Therapeutic interventions targeting Beta amyloid pathogenesis in an aging dog model. Curr Neuropharmacol 2012; 9:651-61. [PMID: 22654723 PMCID: PMC3263459 DOI: 10.2174/157015911798376217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2010] [Revised: 12/15/2010] [Accepted: 01/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aged dogs and humans share complex cognitive and pathological responses to aging. Specifically, dogs develop Alzheimer's Disease (AD) like beta-amyloid (Aβ) that are associated with cognitive deficits. Currently, therapeutic approaches to prevent AD are targeted towards reduced production, aggregation and increased clearance of Aβ. The current review discusses cognition and neuropathology of the aging canine model and how it has and continues to be useful in further understanding the safety and efficacy of potential AD prevention therapies targeting Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B Martin
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY, USA
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12
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Gallagher JJ, Zhang X, Ziomek GJ, Jacobs RE, Bearer EL. Deficits in axonal transport in hippocampal-based circuitry and the visual pathway in APP knock-out animals witnessed by manganese enhanced MRI. Neuroimage 2012; 60:1856-66. [PMID: 22500926 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.01.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2011] [Revised: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 01/25/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence implicates axonal transport defects, typified by the presence of axonal varicosities with aberrant accumulations of cargo, as an early event in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Work identifying amyloid precursor protein (APP) as a vesicular motor receptor for anterograde axonal transport further implicates axonal transport in AD. Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) detects axonal transport dynamics in preclinical studies. Here we pursue an understanding of the role of APP in axonal transport in the central nervous system by applying MEMRI to hippocampal circuitry and to the visual pathway in living mice homozygous for either wild type or a deletion in the APP gene (n=12 for each genotype). Following intra-ocular or stereotaxic hippocampal injection, we performed time-lapse MRI to detect Mn(2+) transport. Three dimensional whole brain datasets were compared on a voxel-wise basis using within-group pair-wise analysis. Quantification of transport to structures connected to injection sites via axonal fiber tracts was also performed. Histology confirmed consistent placement of hippocampal injections and no observable difference in glial-response to the injections. APP-/- mice had significantly reduced transport from the hippocampus to the septal nuclei and amygdala after 7h and reduced transport to the contralateral hippocampus after 25 h; axonal transport deficits in the APP-/- animals were also identified in the visual pathway. These data support a system-wide role for APP in axonal transport within the central nervous system and demonstrate the power of MEMRI for assessing neuronal circuitry involved in memory and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Gallagher
- Biological Imaging Center, Beckman Institute, m/c 139-74, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
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13
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Head E. Neurobiology of the aging dog. AGE (DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS) 2011; 33:485-496. [PMID: 20845082 PMCID: PMC3168593 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-010-9183-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2010] [Accepted: 09/02/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Aged canines naturally accumulate several types of neuropathology that may have links to cognitive decline. On a gross level, significant cortical atrophy occurs with age along with an increase in ventricular volume based on magnetic resonance imaging studies. Microscopically, there is evidence of select neuron loss and reduced neurogenesis in the hippocampus of aged dogs, an area critical for intact learning and memory. The cause of neuronal loss and dysfunction may be related to the progressive accumulation of toxic proteins, oxidative damage, cerebrovascular pathology, and changes in gene expression. For example, aged dogs naturally accumulate human-type beta-amyloid peptide, a protein critically involved with the development of Alzheimer's disease in humans. Further, oxidative damage to proteins, DNA/RNA and lipids occurs with age in dogs. Although less well explored in the aged canine brain, neuron loss, and cerebrovascular pathology observed with age are similar to human brain aging and may also be linked to cognitive decline. Interestingly, the prefrontal cortex appears to be particularly vulnerable early in the aging process in dogs and this may be reflected in dysfunction in specific cognitive domains with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Head
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, University of Kentucky, 800 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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14
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Takeuchi Y, Uetsuka K, Murayama M, Kikuta F, Takashima A, Doi K, Nakayama H. Complementary Distributions of Amyloid-β and Neprilysin in the Brains of Dogs and Cats. Vet Pathol 2008; 45:455-66. [DOI: 10.1354/vp.45-4-455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Neprilysin is an amyloid-β-degrading enzyme localized in the brain parenchyma. The involvement of neprilysin in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease has recently received much attention. We examined the localization of neprilysin and amyloid-β, as well as the activity of neprilysin, in the brains of dogs and cats of various ages to clarify the relationship between neprilysin activity and amyloid-β deposition. The distribution of neprilysin was almost identical in dogs and cats, being high in the striatum, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra, but very low in the cerebral cortex. The white matter and hippocampus were negative. Neprilysin activity in the brain regions in dogs and cats was ranked from high to low as follows: thalamus/striatum > cerebral cortex > hippocampus > white matter. Amyloid-β deposition was first detected at 7 and 10 years of age in dogs and cats, respectively, and both the quantity and frequency of deposition increased with age. In both species, amyloid-β deposition appeared in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus. In summary, the localization of neprilysin and neprilysin activity, and that of amyloid-β, were complementary in the brains of dogs and cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y. Takeuchi
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - K. Uetsuka
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - M. Murayama
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, Japan
| | - F. Kikuta
- St. Luke's College of Nursing, Chuou-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - A. Takashima
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, Japan
| | - K. Doi
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - H. Nakayama
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo ku, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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Bons N, Rieger F, Prudhomme D, Fisher A, Krause KH. Microcebus murinus: a useful primate model for human cerebral aging and Alzheimer's disease? GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2006; 5:120-30. [PMID: 16507003 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2005.00149.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Age-associated dementia, in particular Alzheimer's disease (AD), will be a major concern of the 21st century. Research into normal brain aging and AD will therefore become increasingly important. As for other areas of medicine, the availability of good animal models will be a limiting factor for progress. Given the complexity of the human brain, the identification of appropriate primate models will be essential to further knowledge of the disease. In this review, we describe the features of brain aging and age-associated neurodegeneration in a small lemurian primate, the Microcebus murinus, also referred to as the mouse lemur. The mouse lemur has a relatively short life expectancy, and animals over 5 years of age are considered to be elderly. Among elderly mouse lemurs, the majority show normal brain aging, whereas approximately 20% develop neurodegeneration. This Microcebus age-associated neurodegeneration is characterized by a massive brain atrophy, abundant amyloid plaques, a cytoskeletal Tau pathology and a loss of cholinergic neurons. While elderly mouse lemurs with normal brain aging maintain memory function and social interaction, animals with age-associated neurodegeneration lose their cognitive and social capacities and demonstrate certain similarities with age-associated human AD. We conclude that M. murinus is an interesting primate model for the study of normal brain aging and the biochemical dysfunctions occurring in age-associated neurodegeneration. Mouse lemurs might also become an increasingly important model for the development of novel treatments in this domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Bons
- Institut BioPARK, Domaine de Chosal, Archamps, INSERM U 488, Hôpital du Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France.
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Papaioannou N, Tooten PC, van Ederen AM, Bohl JR, Rofina J, Tsangaris T, Gruys E. Immunohistochemical investigation of the brain of aged dogs. I. Detection of neurofibrillary tangles and of 4-hydroxynonenal protein, an oxidative damage product, in senile plaques. Amyloid 2001; 8:11-21. [PMID: 11293821 DOI: 10.3109/13506120108993810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
In the aging dog brain lesions develop spontaneously. They share some morphological characteristics with those of Alzheimer 's disease in man. Diffuse and primitive plaques are well known, whereas neuritic plaques rarely develop. Neurofibrillary tangles have not been seen in the canine. The aim of the present investigation was to study major age-related changes of the dog's brain using paraffin sections with respect to cross-immunoreactivity of tau, A beta protein and other immunoreactive components including hydroxynonenal protein, which is a marker for oxidative damage. The occurrence of neurofibrillary tangles and of the protein tau therein was studied in serial brain sections of two dogs with the Gallyas stain and by immunohistochemistry with three different antibodies against tau. Senile plaques were stained with a monoclonal anti-A beta (residues 8-17), polyclonal anti-apolipoprotein E and a monoclonal antibody against 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE). Amyloid deposits and controls were screened by Congo red staining viewed in fluorescent light, followed by polarized light for green birefringence. With the Gallyas stain and one of the antisera against tau, neurofibrillary tangles were revealed in a similar dispersed pattern, whereas the other antitau antisera gave negative results. With the anti-HNE a positive reaction was found in cerebral amyloid deposits and in vascular wall areas where amyloid deposition was confirmed by Congo-red staining, and in perivascular cells and in some neurons. These results indicate that the canine with his tangles and plaques which show oxidative changes, forms a spontaneous modelfor understanding the early changes and their interrelationships in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Papaioannou
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
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17
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Abstract
Although many age-related changes have been described in the nervous system of different species, few authors have specifically studied the topic. Knowledge of such changes is essential to veterinary pathologists, who must distinguish the lesions of specific pathologic processes from those arising as a result of normal aging. The brains of 20 old dogs, ranging in age from 8 to 18 years, were compared with those of 10 young dogs using routine staining techniques (hematoxilin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff), special staining techniques (periodic acid-methenamine silver stain), and immunohistochemical techniques to detect glial fibrillary acid protein, neurofilaments, ubiquitin, and beta-amyloid. Changes affected meninges and choroid plexuses, meningeal and parenchymal vessels, neurons, and glial cells. Of special interest was the presence of polyglucosan bodies, cerebrovascular amyloid deposition, senile plaques, and ubiquitinated bodies. Some of the age-related changes found, particularly lipofuscin, polyglucosan bodies, and beta-amyloid protein deposition, may play a role in the pathogenesis of the canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome. The dog could be used as a natural animal model for the study of normal aging and human neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Borràs
- Department of Pathology and Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
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18
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Nakayama H, Katayama K, Ikawa A, Miyawaki K, Shinozuka J, Uetsuka K, Nakamura S, Kimura N, Yoshikawa Y, Doi K. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy in an aged great spotted woodpecker (Picoides major). Neurobiol Aging 1999; 20:53-6. [PMID: 10466893 DOI: 10.1016/s0197-4580(99)00004-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A male great spotted woodpecker (Picoides major), which was at least 16 years old, died due to general weakening. Cerebral vascular walls, including capillaries, were positively stained with Congo red with green-gold birefringence, and some of which showed a severe deposition of the Congophilic materials resulting in a corona-like fibrillar radiating structure. The Congophilic materials were positive for beta amyloid protein, but negative for prion protein. Only a few senile plaque-like structures were observed in the cortex by PAM stain and beta amyloid immunostain. The present case is the first observation of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in avian species and will indicate the presence of such age-related cerebral lesions also in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Nakayama
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
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19
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20
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Abstract
The integrity of the cerebral vasculature is crucial to the maintenance of cognitive functions during ageing. Prevailing evidence suggests that cerebrovascular functions decline during normal ageing, with pronounced effects in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The causes of these changes largely remain unknown. While previous studies recorded ageing-related impairments, such as atherosclerosis and loss of innervation in basal surface arteries of the brain, it only recently has been realized that a number of subtle alterations in both the intracranial resistance vessels and the smaller capillaries is apparent in both ageing animals and humans. The dominant changes include alterations in composition of connective tissues and smooth muscle of large vessel walls, thickening of the vascular basement membrane, thinning of the endothelium in some species, loss of endothelial mitochondria and increased pericytes. Some of these attributes appear more affected in AD. Other abnormalities entail profound irregularities in the course of microvessels, unexplained inclusions in the basement membrane and changes in unique proteins and membrane lipids associated with the blood-brain barrier. Brain imaging and permeability studies show no clear functional evidence to support the structural and biochemical anomalies, but it is plausible that focal and transient breach of the blood-brain barrier in ageing, and more notably in AD, occurs. Thus, circumscribed neuronal populations in certain brain regions could become vulnerable. Furthermore, the characteristic deposition of amyloid in vessels in AD may exacerbate the decline in vascular function and promote chronic hypoperfusion. Although not explicit from current studies, it is likely that the brain vasculature is continually modified by growth and repair mechanisms in attempts to maintain perfusion during ageing and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- R N Kalaria
- Department of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (BRB5), Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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21
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Wegiel J, Wisniewski HM, Dziewiatkowski J, Tarnawski M, Nowakowski J, Dziewiatkowska A, Soltysiak Z. The origin of amyloid in cerebral vessels of aged dogs. Brain Res 1995; 705:225-34. [PMID: 8821753 DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(95)01156-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Our morphometric study of 30 dogs, mongrels, from 6.5 to 26.5 years of age, shows amyloid angiopathy in cortical and leptomeningeal vessels of all dogs older than 13.2 years of age, and the increase in the numerical density of amyloid-positive vessels correlated with age. Cluster analysis distinguished the group of six dogs (25%) to be relatively less affected, a large group of 13 animals (54%) to have moderate pathology, and five dogs (21%) to have severe amyloid angiopathy. Amyloid accumulation starts in large vessels, particularly in the tunica media of large arteries. Amyloid deposition appears to be associated with smooth muscle cells. Ultrastructural studies of samples from nine dogs are in agreement with in vitro studies suggesting that smooth muscle cells are the source of soluble amyloid beta. beta-protein polymerizes in the basal lamina of the tunica media. Muscle cells in the area of amyloid-beta accumulation degenerate and die. Thioflavin-positivity of only 24% of cortical and 66% of leptomeningeal beta-protein-positive vessels suggests that thioflavin-negative deposits contain soluble, not yet fibrillized protein and/or partially degraded and depolymerized amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Wegiel
- Department of Pathological Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island 10314, USA
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22
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Cho HS, Kim SS, Choi W, Kim SH, Jeong SJ, Chong YH, Lee YJ, Park CW, Lee KW. Age-related changes of mRNA expression of amyloid precursor protein in the brain of senescence-accelerated mouse. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 1995; 112:399-404. [PMID: 7584867 DOI: 10.1016/0305-0491(95)00090-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
APP695 mRNA is only expressed in the brains of SAM. The expression of APP mRNA in SAM P1 mice brains is more marked than that in SAM R1 mice brain. APP mRNA expression was increased with advancing age in all brain regions of SAM P1 mice compared with SAM R1. Especially, the changes of the amount of APP mRNA in the prosencephalon and the mesencephalon are significant at P value of 0.05. We suggest that overexpression of APP mRNA may be related to accelerated aging phenomenon in the SAM brain. This is the first report of age-related increase in the amount of APP mRNA in the SAM brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- H S Cho
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea
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23
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Mantione JR, Kleppner SR, Miyazono M, Wertkin AM, Lee VM, Trojanowski JQ. Human neurons that constitutively secrete A beta do not induce Alzheimer's disease pathology following transplantation and long-term survival in the rodent brain. Brain Res 1995; 671:333-7. [PMID: 7743226 DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(94)01400-c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Since cultured neurons secrete beta-amyloid (A beta) peptides, and A beta forms amyloid deposits in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, transplanted neurons may induce the deposition of A beta in the host brain. To assess this possibility, we studied grafted human neurons (NT2N cells) and their progenitors (NT2 cells) in the rodent brain. Although NT2N cells secrete more A beta than the NT2 cells in vitro, no A beta deposits or other AD lesions were induced in the rodent brain by grafts that survived days (NT2 and NT2N cells) to 46 weeks (NT2N cells). Thus, neither the deposition of A beta nor the induction of other AD lesions are obligatory consequences of the transplantation and long-term survival of human neurons or their progenitors in the rodent brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Mantione
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104, USA
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24
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Arai H, Higuchi S, Matsushita S, Yuzuriha T, Trojanowski JQ, Lee VM. Expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein in the developing human spinal cord. Brain Res 1994; 642:132-6. [PMID: 8032873 DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(94)90914-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Human fetal spinal cords and other non-neural tissues from cases with gestational age from 6 to 21 weeks were examined with a panel of antibodies to different domains of beta-amyloid precursor proteins (beta-APPs). In the early developmental stages, the beta-APPs were expressed in three distinct layers, i.e., primitive neuroepithelial cell layer, mantle layer and marginal layer. beta-APP immunoreactivity was most prominent in cell bodies of putative neuroblasts located in the outer ventral part of the mantle layer. beta-APP expression diminished as the spinal cord matured and a weak residual immunoreactivity was detected exclusively in a subset of the anterior horn cells by 21 weeks gestational age. Throughout the gestational ages examined, no convincing beta/A4 immunostaining was seen in any of the spinal cord regions. Outside the spinal cord, beta-APP immunostaining was consistently present in (1) cell bodies and proximal nerves of immature neurons of dorsal root ganglia and in (2) myotubules, although these cells were devoid of beta/A4 immunoreactivity. Western blot analysis of fetal spinal cord revealed immunoreactive bands with apparent molecular weight between 100 and 140 kDa in the membrane-associated fraction, while soluble proteins with a molecular mass centered on 115 kDa were detected in the cytosolic fraction. Our results indicate that: (1) one or more isoforms of full length beta-APPs are expressed at very early gestational ages in the developing human spinal cord; (2) the normal metabolism of beta-APPs does not result in accumulations of beta/A4 fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Arai
- Department of Neurology, Motojima General Hospital, Gunma, Japan
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25
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Bons N, Mestre N, Ritchie K, Petter A, Podlisny M, Selkoe D. Identification of amyloid beta protein in the brain of the small, short-lived lemurian primate Microcebus murinus. Neurobiol Aging 1994; 15:215-20. [PMID: 7838294 DOI: 10.1016/0197-4580(94)90115-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The deposition of amyloid beta (A beta) protein in the brain has been demonstrated immunocytochemically in the small Lemurian primate Microcebus murinus. Both meningocerebral vascular deposits and cortical parenchymal deposits occur. All eight aged (> 8 years old) Microcebus examined showed vascular amyloid deposits, whereas only four exhibited parenchymal plaques. The vascular amyloid infiltrated the tunica media of the leptomeningeal and cortical arteries and arterioles and was also found in capillaries. A beta was observed to be deposited in three general forms in the cortical neuropil: round or elliptical plaques that were thioflavin-negative but sometimes showed a central concentration of A beta immunoreactivity; round plaques with a densely immunoreactive core that was thioflavin-positive; extensive ribbon-like infiltrations enclosing multiple cortical blood vessels. These observations, taken together with previous descriptions of age-related neurodegenerative changes in Microcebus, indicate that this species undergoes a beta-amyloid-associated neuropathology highly similar to that seen in Alzheimer's disease. We conclude that this lemurian primate of small size and relatively short life expectancy, provides a compelling animal model of some principal features of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Bons
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Université de Montpellier II
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26
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Dunnett SB. Animal Models of Alzheimer’s Disease. DEMENTIA 1994. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4615-6805-6_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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27
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Snow AD, Sekiguchi R, Nochlin D, Fraser P, Kimata K, Mizutani A, Arai M, Schreier WA, Morgan DG. An important role of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (Perlecan) in a model system for the deposition and persistence of fibrillar A beta-amyloid in rat brain. Neuron 1994; 12:219-34. [PMID: 8292358 DOI: 10.1016/0896-6273(94)90165-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
A consistent rat model for the study of the consequences of congophilic and fibrillar A beta-amyloid in brain has been developed. One hundred percent of animals receiving infusions of synthetic beta-amyloid protein (A beta 1-40) plus a specific heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) for 1 week or 7 weeks (following 2 week infusions) demonstrated Congo red and thioflavin S-positive deposits adjacent to the infusion site. Extracellular amyloid fibrils were identified by electron microscopy and were immunogold decorated with A beta antibody. Significant increases in Congo red staining were observed in animals infused with A beta plus HSPG versus those infused with only A beta. Infusion of A beta alone was variable with respect to congophilic amyloid persistence, which occurred in 50% of animals and only when endogenous HSPGs accumulated at A beta deposition sites. By 7 weeks, only animals infused with A beta plus HSPG demonstrated compaction of the Congo red material from amorphous, wispy deposits (at 1 week) to stellate deposits resembling a Maltese cross. These spherical amyloid deposits were very similar to Congo red-stained amyloid plaques in human Alzheimer's disease brain, and in vitro data suggest that they were probably formed in vivo following interactions with endogenous brain components.
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Affiliation(s)
- A D Snow
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195
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28
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Stephenson DT, Clemens JA. In vivo effects of beta-amyloid implants in rodents: lack of potentiation of damage associated with transient global forebrain ischemia. Brain Res 1992; 586:235-46. [PMID: 1521157 DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(92)91632-o] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that the principal component of the senile plaque in Alzheimer's disease (AD), beta-amyloid protein (beta AP) can exert direct and indirect neurotoxicity in vitro. Because of the studies that demonstrated potentiation of excitatory amino acid toxicity by beta AP, we decided to test whether beta AP was able to potentiate damage in an in vivo model where excitotoxic damage is thought to be important. The present study evaluated the in vivo effects of beta AP implants in the brain of rats before and after being subjected to 10 min of transient global forebrain ischemia by 4-vessel occlusion (4-VO). Implants of either synthetic beta AP or prolactin (PRL), which was used as a control protein, were made into the striatum and the hippocampus of either the left (beta AP) or the right (PRL) cerebral hemisphere. The implants were made in a lipophilic, non-toxic vehicle so as to try and achieve sustained beta AP exposure. One group of animals was evaluated for direct in vivo effects within 1 week following implantation; the other group was subjected to 4-VO 3-4 days post-implantation for evaluation of potential indirect effects. This latter group was compared to the histopathology of animals subjected to 4-VO without prior implantation. In the group of animals evaluated for direct effects, no evidence of neurotoxicity was observed. Bielschowsky silver staining and immunostaining for ubiquitin were unremarkable in all lesions. beta AP was detected by immunocytochemistry in the parenchymal tissue that received beta AP implants. Marked glial activation was observed to be associated with experimental and control implants. Under the experimental conditions employed in this study, significant protection from ischemia rather than potentiation of damage was observed. These results suggest that beta AP may not be neurotoxic in rodents in vivo and that the lesions and/or trauma produced by the implantation procedure 3-4 days prior to 4-VO may have induced factors that were protective against ischemia-induced damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- D T Stephenson
- Eli Lilly and Co., Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN 46285
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29
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Wisniewski HM, Wegiel J, Wang KC, Lach B. Ultrastructural studies of the cells forming amyloid in the cortical vessel wall in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 1992; 84:117-27. [PMID: 1381856 DOI: 10.1007/bf00311383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Ultrastructural studies of serial sections of the vessels with amyloid deposits in the brain cortex of patients with Alzheimer's disease showed that cells in the position of pericytes--perivascular cells--and perivascular microglial cells are producers of amyloid fibrils in the vascular wall. Three types of changes from normal are distinguishable in the vessel wall: (1) semicircular or circular thickening of vascular wall containing a large amount of amorphous material and various number of amyloid fibrils, (2) tuberous amyloid deposits containing both amorphous material and amyloid fibrils, some of the fibrils being arranged in strata and others arranged radially, and (3) amyloid star composed of a predominantly radial arrangement of bundles of amyloid fibrils and a less prominent amorphous component. A mixture of amorphous material and amyloid fibrils is present in cell membrane invaginations of perivascular cells, and occasionally perivascular microglial cells. Bundles of amyloid fibrils are found in altered cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum and in the channels confluent with the infoldings of the plasma membrane of perivascular microglial cells. The amyloid deposition in the wall of the vessel causes degeneration of endothelial cells and the reduction of, and in some vessels obliteration of, the vessel lumen. In areas affected by amyloid angiopathy, extensive degeneration both of the neuropil and of neurons was observed. These changes were accompanied by astrogliosis. This study demonstrates similarities in amyloid formation in amyloid angiopathy and in beta-amyloid plaques in the neuropil and suggests that cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system of the brain (perivascular cells and perivascular microglia) are engaged in amyloid fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- H M Wisniewski
- Department of Pathological Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island 10314
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30
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Ishihara T, Takahashi M, Yokota T, Yamashita Y, Gondo T, Uchino F, Iwamoto N. The significance of cerebrovascular amyloid in the aetiology of superficial (lobar) cerebral haemorrhage and its incidence in the elderly population. J Pathol 1991; 165:229-34. [PMID: 1722248 DOI: 10.1002/path.1711650306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cerebrovascular amyloid deposition (CVAD), caused by deposition of the beta/A4 protein, has been previously identified as a cause of cerebral haemorrhage, yet its prevalence is uncertain. The presence of vascular amyloid was studied in brains of 169 patients by immunohistochemical and Congo red staining. Fifty patients had cerebral haemorrhage (CH), 56 had cerebral infarction (CI), and 63 had neither haemorrhage nor infarction (control group). CVAD was found in 38 per cent of the CH group, 25 per cent of the CI group, and 32 per cent of the control group. The incidence of CVAD increased with age in each group. Immunohistochemical staining with an antibody to beta/A4 protein was more sensitive than Congo red staining the demonstrating the extent of vascular amyloid. Within the CH group, CVAD was present in the vessels at the site of haemorrhage in 6/8 (75 per cent) of pure superficial (lobar) cerebral haemorrhages. While amyloid was detected in vessels in the brain of 10/37 (27 per cent) of pure deep cerebral haemorrhages, none was present in vessels at the site of haemorrhage. CVAD is a common pathological finding in the elderly and has a significant association with pure superficial (lobar) cerebral haemorrhages.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Ishihara
- First Department of Pathology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Japan
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