title: High prevalence of thorn-shaped astrocytes in the aged human medial temporal lobe.
abstract: Thorn-shaped astrocytes (TSA) are glial fibrillary tangles that contain abnormally phosphorylated and aggregated microtubule-associated tau protein. The present study examines the prevalence of TSA in the human medial temporal lobe of 100 autopsy brains aged 42-97 years (mean age: 65 years). Serial brain sections were cut at 100 microm and stained using phosphorylation-dependent anti-tau antibodies (AT8, PHF-1, TG3, Alz-50) and silver staining methods for neurofibrillary changes and beta-amyloid deposits. TSA preferentially were distributed in periventricular, subependymal, and subpial areas of the mediobasal temporal lobe (MTL). Double-labeling with AT8 and anti-GFAP antibodies demonstrated that the abnormal tau protein was deposited in astroglial cell bodies and in proximal and distal astroglial processes. A pronounced inter-individual variation was noted in the density of AT8-positive TSA, thereby allowing distinction of mild, moderate, and severe involvement. TSA were absent in individuals younger than 60 years. A significant increase in the prevalence of TSA was noted with advancing age. In the age-range of 75-98 years TSA were found in approximately 50% of all individuals. The development of TSA was not correlated with the severity of Alzheimer-related cortical pathology. In summary, this study suggests that TSA is a distinct form of glial tau pathology that occurs with a high frequency in elderly individuals.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Neuroanatomy, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt/Main, Germany. Schultz@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: Estifanos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghebremedhin
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Del Tredici
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rüb
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Braak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000906:Antibodies; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D016875:tau Proteins