title: Microglial VEGF receptor response is an integral chemotactic component in Alzheimer's disease pathology.
abstract: We hypothesize that microglial chemotactic responses to amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta(1-42)) serve as an early and integral component of inflammatory response in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. This study reports a receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), termed VEGF-1 (Flt-1), subserves microglial chemotactic responses induced by Abeta(1-42) stimulation, in vivo and in vitro. Expression of Flt-1 was significantly increased in tissue obtained from AD patients [compared with tissue from nondemented (ND) individuals], in Abeta(1-42)-injected rat hippocampus, and in peptide-stimulated human microglia. Single and double immunohistochemical staining demonstrated marked immunoreactivity, for both Flt-1 and its ligand VEGF, in association with microglia and Abeta deposits in AD, but not ND, brain tissue. Functionally, treatment with anti-Flt-1 antibody was highly effective in inhibiting microglial mobility and chemotactic responses measured in vitro using a transwell migration assay. In vivo, transplanted enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-labeled microglia exhibited Flt-1-dependent chemotaxis induced by peptide injection with anti-Flt-1 effective in blocking migration of cells. Importantly, anti-Flt-1 reduction of microglial mobility was neuroprotective in peptide-injected hippocampus and associated with a significant increase in numbers of viable hippocampal neurons. The results of this study suggest critical functional roles for Flt-1 in mediating microglial chemotactic inflammatory responses which contribute to pathological conditions in AD brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3.
authors.forename: Jae K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Taesup
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hyun B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yu Tian
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McLarnon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D039481:CD11b Antigen; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase