title: Influence of water quality on cholesterol-induced tau pathology: preliminary data.
abstract: The studies employed the cholesterol-fed rabbit model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) to investigate the relationship between AD-like neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) neuropathology and tau protein levels as the main component of NFT. We measured brain and plasma tau levels and semiquantified NFT-like neuropathology in cholesterol-fed rabbits administered drinking water of varying quality (distilled, tap, and distilled+copper) compared to animals receiving normal chow and local tap water. Total tau levels in plasma were increased in all cholesterol-fed rabbits compared to animals on normal chow, regardless of quality of water. In contrast, increased tau in brain and increased AT8 immunoreactive NFT-like lesions were greatest in cholesterol-fed rabbits administered distilled water. A substantial decrease in brain tau and incidence and density of AT8 immunoreactive NFT-like lesions occurred in cholesterol-fed rabbits administered copper water, and an even greater decrease was observed in cholesterol-fed animals on local tap water. These studies suggest the possibility that circulating tau could be the source of the tau accumulating in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Roberts Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ 85351, USA.
authors.forename: D Larry
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Sparks
authors.forename: Chuck
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ziolkowski
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lawmaster
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martin