title: Aquaporin expression in the cerebral cortex is increased at early stages of Alzheimer disease.
abstract: Abnormalities in the cerebral microvasculature are common in Alzheimer disease (AD). Expression levels of the water channels aquaporin 1 and aquaporin 4 (AQP1, AQP4) were examined in AD cases by gel electrophoresis and Western blotting, and densitometric values normalized with beta-actin were compared with corresponding values in age-matched controls processed in parallel. In addition, samples of cases with Pick disease (PiD) were examined for comparative purposes. A significant increase in the expression levels of AQP1 was observed in AD stage II (following Braak and Braak classification). Individual variations were seen in advanced stages which resulted in non-significant differences between AD stages V-VI and age-matched controls. No differences in AQP1 levels were observed between familial AD cases (FAD, all of them at advanced stages) and corresponding age-matched controls. Immunohistochemistry showed increased AQP1 in astrocytes at early stages of AD. Double-labelling immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy disclosed AQP1 immunoreactivity at the cell surface of astrocytes which were recognized with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein antibodies. No differences in the levels of AQP4 were observed in AD, FAD and PiD when compared with corresponding controls. These results indicate abnormal expression of AQP1 in astrocytes in AD, and they add support to the idea that abnormal regulation of mechanisms involved in the control of water fluxes occurs at early stages in AD.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Neuropatologia, Servei Anatomia Patològica, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, carrer Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrachina
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Torrejón-Escribano
authors.forename: Mercé
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boada
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Isidre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ferrer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D051398:Aquaporin 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496020:AQP1 protein, human; C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051398:Aquaporin 1