Morphological characterization of Thioflavin-S-positive amyloid plaques in transgenic Alzheimer mice and effect of passive Abeta immunotherapy on their clearance.
Transgenic mice mimicking certain features of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-pathology, namely amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, have been developed in an effort to better understand the mechanism leading to the formation of these characteristic cerebral lesions. More recently, these animal models have been widely used to investigate emergent therapies aimed at the reduction of the cerebral amyloid load. Several studies have shown that immunotherapy targeting the amyloid peptide (Abeta) is efficacious at clearing the amyloid plaques or preventing their formation, and at reducing the memory/behavior impairment observed in these animals. In AD, different types of plaques likely have different pathogenic significance, and further characterization of plaque pathology in the PDAPP transgenic mice would enhance the evaluation of potential therapeutics. In the present study, a morphological classification of amyloid plaques present in the brains of PDAPP mice was established by using Thioflavin-S staining. Neuritic dystrophy associated with amyloid plaques was also investigated. Finally, the efficacy of passive immunization with anti-Abeta antibodies on the clearance of Thio-S positive amyloid plaques was studied. Our results show that distinct morphological types of plaques are differentially cleared depending upon the isotype of the antibody.
Bussière
Thierry
T
Elan Pharmaceuticals, South San Francisco, California, USA.
Bard
Frédérique
F
Barbour
Robin
R
Grajeda
Henry
H
Guido
Terry
T
Khan
Karen
K
Schenk
Dale
D
Games
Dora
D
Seubert
Peter
P
Buttini
Manuel
M
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000378:metabolism*
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013844:Thiazoles; C009462:thioflavin T