Vascular smooth muscle actin is reduced in Alzheimer disease brain: a quantitative analysis.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
We analyzed smooth muscle actin (SMA) immunoreactivity in brain blood vessels of 10 ApoE 4,4 Alzheimer disease (AD) patients and 10 ApoE 3,3 AD patients matched for age, sex, and duration of dementia. We also examined 10 cognitively and neuropathologically normal controls matched for age and sex. Vascular SMA immunoreactivity in the arachnoid, grey matter, and white matter was quantified by image analysis. There was less SMA immunoreactivity in blood vessels of all AD patients when compared to cognitively and neuropathologically normal controls (p < 0.001). In addition, arachnoidal vessels of ApoE 4,4 AD patients had less SMA immunoreactivity than ApoE 3,3 AD patients (p < 0.05). There is decreased vascular SMA density in arachnoid, grey matter, and white matter blood vessels in patients with AD when compared to age matched, cognitively and neuropathologically normal controls. The severity of the loss of SMA within the AD group may depend on ApoE type.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Ervin, JF; Pannell, C; Szymanski, M; Welsh-Bohmer, K; Schmechel, DE; Hulette, CM
Published Date
- July 1, 2004
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 63 / 7
Start / End Page
- 735 - 741
PubMed ID
- 15290898
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0022-3069
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1093/jnen/63.7.735
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- England