Immunological Markers and Neuropathological Lesions in Alzheimer’s Disease (original) (raw)

Summary

Using direct immunofluorescence on 5-µm sections from frozen brain specimens obtained shortly after death, the different complement factors of the classical pathway (C1, C3, C4) were demonstrated in the brain amyloid lesions of four patients who had Alzheimer’s disease.

Staining intensity appeared to depend on the kind of senile plaques. There was a predominance of C1q staining on plaques with a central amyloid core and on amyloid masses around the infiltrated vessels, and a predominance of C3 staining on neuritic plaques with no apparent central core. C1, C3, and C4 were constantly demonstrated in the infiltrated leptomeningeal and intracortical vessel walls. In addition, intensely stained round intraluminal cells were seen in one case and in another case, intense staining of some degenerating neurons; both were observed using anti-C3.

The few plaques of the brains of two senile patients without dementia used as controls also stained positively with anti-C1q and anti-C3, but no staining what so ever was detected in a case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or in five other control caases. The three main classes of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) were found to coexist on the amyloid-infiltrated vessel walls.

From these findings, it could be postulated that immunological mechanisms are probably important in the appearence of brain lesions in Alzheimer’s disease and that the primary insult is located on the blood vessel walls.

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Authors

1. A. Pouplard-Barthelaix
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Editors and Affiliations

1. Unité de Neuro-Immunologie et Neuropathologie et INSERM U. 298, C.H.R.U, 49033, Angers Cedex, France
   Annick Pouplard-Barthelaix
2. Service de Neurologie, C.H.R.U, 49033, Angers Cedex, France
   Jean Emile
3. Fondation IPSEN pour la Recherche Thérapeutique, 30, rue Cambronne, 75737, Paris Cedex, France
   Yves Christen

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© 1988 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Pouplard-Barthelaix, A. (1988). Immunological Markers and Neuropathological Lesions in Alzheimer’s Disease. In: Pouplard-Barthelaix, A., Emile, J., Christen, Y. (eds) Immunology and Alzheimer’s Disease. Research and Perspectives in Alzheimer’s Disease. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46634-2\_2

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