title: String Vessel Formation is Increased in the Brain of Parkinson Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  String vessels are collapsed basement membrane without endothelium and have no function in circulation. String vessel formation contributes to vascular degeneration in Alzheimer disease. By comparing to age-matched control cases we have recently reported endothelial degeneration in brain capillaries of human Parkinson disease (PD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Current study evaluated changes of basement membrane of capillaries, string vessel formation and their association with astrocytes, blood-brain-barrier integrity and neuronal degeneration in PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain tissue from human cases of PD and age-matched controls was used. Immunohistochemical staining for collagen IV, GFAP, NeuN, tyrosine hydroxylase, fibrinogen and Factor VIII was evaluated by image analysis in the substantia nigra, caudate nucleus and middle frontal gyrus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While the basement-membrane-associated vessel density was similar between the two groups, the density of string vessels was significantly increased in the PD cases, particularly in the substantia nigra. Neuronal degeneration was found in all brain regions. Astrocytes and fibrinogen were increased in the caudate nuclei of PD cases compared with control cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endothelial degeneration and preservation of basement membrane result in an increase of string vessel formation in PD. The data may suggest a possible role for cerebral hypoperfusion in the neuronal degeneration characteristic of PD, which needs further investigation. Elevated astrocytosis in the caudate nucleus of PD cases could be associated with disruption of the blood-brain barrier in this brain region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.|Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Panzao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.|Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Darja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.|Department of Anatomy with Radiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Waldvogel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.|Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dragunow
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Synek
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.|Department of Anatomical Pathology, LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Clinton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.|Department of Anatomy with Radiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faull
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.|Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014015:Tissue Banks
keywords: Capillaries; Parkinson’s disease; age and human