Estrogen receptor alpha-immunoreactive astrocytes are increased in the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease.
Postmenopausal estrogen use may decrease the risk, and delay the onset and progression, of Alzheimer's disease (AD). By means of fluorescence immunocytochemistry, the present study investigated the distribution of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) in the human hippocampus in controls and in AD cases. ERalpha immunoreactivity was observed in neurons and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactive astrocytes in the hippocampus both in controls and AD cases. The number and density of GFAP- and ERalpha-positive astrocytes was increased in AD. The number of GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes, the number of nuclear ERalpha-staining astrocytes, and cytoplasmic ERalpha-staining astrocytes per unit area (1 mm(2)) significantly increased (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, P < 0.05, respectively) in CA1 in AD patients, while the percentage of ERalpha-immunoreactive astrocytes of the two groups did not differ (P > 0.05). These data suggest an important role for ERalpha-mediated effects of estrogens on neurons and astrocytes in the hippocampus of human and AD patients.
Lu
Ya-Ping
YP
Department of Neurobiology, Life Science School, University of Science and Technology of China, P.R., Hefei, China.
Zeng
Mei
M
Hu
Xiang-You
XY
Xu
Hao
H
Swaab
Dick F
DF
Ravid
Rivka
R
Zhou
Jiang-Ning
JN
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen