title: Diffuse plaques in the molecular layer show intracellular A beta(8-17)-immunoreactive deposits in subpial astrocytes.
abstract: The presence of A beta protein- (A beta) containing astrocytes in diffuse plaques of the cortical layers II-VI has recently been demonstrated with antibodies directed against A beta(17-23) and C-terminal epitopes, of A beta. We here confirm and extend this finding by use of immunocytochemical double-labeling and preembedding immune-electron microscopy. Diffuse subpial plaques are associated with both anti-A beta(8-17) and anti-A beta(17-23)-positive granules in astrocytes. The ultrastructural nature of these intracellular deposits has been demonstrated to be lysosomal and the deposits have a lipofuscin-like appearance. These data point to a role of subpial astrocytes in the degradation of A beta by lysosomal processing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Thal
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Härtig
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schober
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis*; D010841:Pia Mater / Q000473:pathology*; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments