N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and apoptosis in Alzheimer's disease and multiinfarct dementia.
This study investigates the role of excitotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease and in multiinfarct dementia by examining, via immunohistochemical methods, the number of cells that are positive for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and the degree of colocalization between NMDA receptor and apoptosis markers such as TUNEL or activated caspase-3 in the frontal cortex of individuals with these two conditions, comparing the results with those from subjects who died of normal aging. We showed an increased number of NMDA receptor-positive cells and an increased number of TUNEL-labeled cells in the frontal cortex of subjects with Alzheimer's disease, especially in the deeper layers of the cortex. However, only about 10% of cells showed colocalization of NMDA receptor with the apoptosis markers studied, suggesting that NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity does not play a major role in neuronal apoptosis in Alzheimer's disease or in multiinfarct dementia.
Fang
Marong
M
The Institute of Cellbiology, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
Li
Jicheng
J
Tiu
S C
SC
Zhang
Lihong
L
Wang
Mingwei
M
Yew
David T
DT
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000502:physiology; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases