title: Aquaporin-4 overexpression in rat ALS model.
abstract: Onset of motoneuron death characterizing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is closely linked to modified astrocytic and glial environments. Here, we show that in the spinal cord from transgenic rat overexpressing mutated human SOD1, aquaporin-4 mRNA and protein are specifically overexpressed in the gray matter at end stage of disease. Immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence allowed to detect, in the spinal cord gray matter of the ALS rat, increased aquaporin-4 surrounding both vessel and motoneuron perikarya. The use of pre-embedding immunohistochemistry at electron microscopic level confirmed such localization associated with swollen astrocytic processes surrounding the vessels. The AQP4 immunohistochemical labeling surrounding several motoneuron perikarya was only seen in ALS rats. Identification of this AQP4-positive cellular type remains unclear.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 808 route de Lennik, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicaise
authors.forename: Muhammad Shahnawaz
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Soyfoo
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Authelet
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Decker
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bataveljic
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delporte
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pochet
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1
chemical_list: C496032:Aqp4 protein, rat; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; C000606292:Sod1 protein, rat; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1