Characteristics of Aquaporin Expression Surrounding Senile Plaques and Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy in Alzheimer Disease

Aged, 80 and over Aquaporin 4 Male Amyloid beta-Peptides Paraffin Embedding Aquaporin 1 Fluorescent Antibody Technique Plaque, Amyloid Organ Size Middle Aged Aquaporins Immunohistochemistry Peptide Fragments 3. Good health Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Alzheimer Disease Humans Female Aged
DOI: 10.1097/nen.0b013e3182632566 Publication Date: 2012-07-17T10:24:45Z
ABSTRACT
Senile plaques (SPs) containing amyloid β peptide (Aβ) 1-42 are the major species present in Alzheimer disease (AD), whereas Aβ1-40 is the major constituent of arteriolar walls affected by cerebral amyloid angiopathy. The water channel proteins astrocytic aquaporin 1 (AQP1) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) are known to be abnormally expressed in AD brains, but the expression of AQPs surrounding SPs and cerebral amyloid angiopathy has not been described in detail. Here, we investigated whether AQP expression is associated with each species of Aβ deposited in human brains affected by either sporadic or familial AD. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated more numerous AQP1-positive reactive astrocytes in the AD cerebral cortex than in controls, located close to Aβ42- or Aβ40-positive SPs. In AD cases, however, AQP1-positive astrocytes were not often observed in Aβ-rich areas, and there was a significant negative correlation between the levels of AQP1 and Aβ42 assessed semiquantitatively. We also found that Aβ plaque-like AQP4 was distributed in association with Aβ42- or Aβ40-positive SPs and that the degree of AQP4 expression around Aβ40-positive vessels was variable. These findings suggest that a defined population of AQP1-positive reactive astrocytes may modify Aβ deposition in the AD brain, whereas the Aβ deposition process might alter astrocytic expression of AQP4.
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