A neuronal aging pattern unique to humans and common chimpanzees.
Lipofuscin pigment accumulation is among the most prominent markers of cellular aging in postmitotic cells. The formation of lipofuscin is related to oxidative enzymatic activity and free radical-induced lipid peroxidation. In various mammals such as rat, dog, macaque as well as in cheirogaleid primates, most of the large neurons, such as cerebellar Purkinje cells and neocortical pyramidal cells, show heavy lipofuscin accumulation in adulthood. In contrast, a well-known yet poorly studied feature of the aging human brain is that although lipofuscin accumulation is most marked in large neurons of the cerebral cortex, the large neurons of the cerebellar cortex-the Purkinje cells-appear to remain free of lipofuscin accumulation. It is however, not known whether this characteristic of human Purkinje cells is shared with other primates or other mammals. This study reports results from histological observation of Purkinje cells in humans, non-human primates, and other mammals. Procedures include histochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and fluorescence microscopy. Abundant lipofuscin deposition was observed in Purkinje cells of all the species we examined except Homo sapiens (including Alzheimer's disease cases) and Pan troglodytes. In contrast, lipofuscin deposition was observed in neurons of the dentate nucleus. Our findings suggest that when compared with other primates, Purkinje cells in chimpanzees and humans might share a common aging pattern that involves mechanisms for neuroprotection. This observation is important when considering animal models of aging.
Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080, Tervuren, Belgium. emmanuel.gilissen@africamuseum.be.|Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium. emmanuel.gilissen@africamuseum.be.|Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA. emmanuel.gilissen@africamuseum.be.
Emmanuel P
EP
Gilissen
Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
Karelle
K
Leroy
Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
Zehra
Z
Yilmaz
Department of Psychiatry, Service of Neuropsychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Belle-Idée, Geneva, Switzerland.
Enikö
E
Kövari
Department of Psychiatry, Service of Neuropsychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Belle-Idée, Geneva, Switzerland.
Constantin
C
Bouras
Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
Alain
A
Boom
Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and Organogenesis, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
Luc
L
Poncelet
Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
Joseph M
JM
Erwin
Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
Chet C
CC
Sherwood
Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.|New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
Patrick R
PR
Hof
Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
Jean-Pierre
JP
Brion
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013045:Species Specificity
D008062:Lipofuscin
Alzheimer’s disease; Cerebellum; Chimpanzee; Lipofuscin; Primates; Purkinje cells