title: Activated caspase-3 expression in Alzheimer's and aged control brain: correlation with Alzheimer pathology.
abstract: Several studies have suggested that activated caspase-3 has properties of a cell death executioner protease. In this study, we examined the expression of activated caspase-3 in AD and aged control brains. Activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity was seen in neurons, astrocytes, and blood vessels, was elevated in AD, and exhibited a high degree of colocalization with neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. These data suggest that activated caspase-3 may be a factor in functional decline and may have an important role in neuronal cell death and plaque formation in AD brain.
authors: Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4540, USA. josephsu@uci.edu
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Su
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Zhao
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Anderson
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Srinivasan
authors: C W
authors: CW
authors: Cotman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000906:Antibodies; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases