An immunohistochemical study of GABA A receptor gamma subunits in Alzheimer's disease hippocampus: relationship to neurofibrillary tangle progression.
Immunohistochemical characterization of the distribution of GABA(A) receptor subunits gamma1/3 and 2 in the hippocampus relative to neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology staging was performed in cognitively normal subjects (Braak stage I/II, n = 4) and two groups of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (Braak stage III/IV, n = 4; Braak stage V/VI, n = 8). In both Braak groups of AD patients, neuronal gamma1/3 and gamma2 immunoreactivity was preserved in all hippocampal subfields. However, compared to normal controls neuronal gamma1/3 immunoreactivity was more intense in several end-stage AD subjects. Despite increased NFT pathology in the Braak V/VI AD group, GABA(A)gamma1/3 and gamma2 immunoreactivity did not co-localize with markers of NFT. These results suggest that upregulating or preserving GABA(A)gamma1/3 and gamma2 receptors may protect neurons against neurofibrillary pathology in AD.
Iwakiri
Masahiko
M
Department of Psychiatry, Ishizaki Hosipital, Ibaraki-machi, Japan.
Mizukami
Katsuyoshi
K
Ikonomovic
Milos D
MD
Ishikawa
Masanori
M
Abrahamson
Eric E
EE
DeKosky
Steven T
ST
Asada
Takashi
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
C528795:GABRG1 protein, human; C546279:GABRG2 protein, human; C527987:GABRG3 protein, human; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A