TY - JOUR

T1 - Immunohistochemical characterization of cerebrovascular amyloid in 46 autopsied cases using antibodies to β protein and cystatin C

AU - Maruyama, K

AU - Ikeda, S

AU - Ishihara, T

AU - Allsop, D

AU - Yanagisawa, N

PY - 1990/3

Y1 - 1990/3

N2 - Using immunohistochemical staining methods with antibodies to amyloid beta protein and human cystatin C, we examined cerebrovascular amyloid protein in the brains from 46 cases with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (seven with Alzheimer's disease, one with Down's syndrome, 18 with intracranial hemorrhage, 10 with cerebral infarction, and 10 elderly patients without any neurologic disorder). All cerebrovascular amyloid deposits in these 46 cases were consistently immunoreactive to anti-beta protein antibody. However, in nine cases some vascular walls with strong beta protein immunoreactivity also reacted less intensely with the anti-cystatin C antiserum. Of these nine cases, seven showed relatively heavy cerebrovascular amyloid deposition, and all seven had suffered a fatal subcortical hemorrhage presumably caused by cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Previous limited studies have suggested that the amyloid protein seen in elderly individuals with cerebral amyloid angiopathy is composed of beta protein. However, subcortical hemorrhage rarely occurs in such individuals. Our study shows that aged patients with different brain disorders commonly suffer from beta protein-type cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and we also suggest that the severity of beta protein-type cerebrovascular amyloid deposition is a fundamental factor in cerebral amyloid angiopathy-induced brain hemorrhage in the elderly. The nature of the cystatin C-immunoreactive substance in some of these vascular lesions is uncertain, but it might conceivably play an additional important role in the pathogenesis of brain hemorrhage in these cases.

AB - Using immunohistochemical staining methods with antibodies to amyloid beta protein and human cystatin C, we examined cerebrovascular amyloid protein in the brains from 46 cases with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (seven with Alzheimer's disease, one with Down's syndrome, 18 with intracranial hemorrhage, 10 with cerebral infarction, and 10 elderly patients without any neurologic disorder). All cerebrovascular amyloid deposits in these 46 cases were consistently immunoreactive to anti-beta protein antibody. However, in nine cases some vascular walls with strong beta protein immunoreactivity also reacted less intensely with the anti-cystatin C antiserum. Of these nine cases, seven showed relatively heavy cerebrovascular amyloid deposition, and all seven had suffered a fatal subcortical hemorrhage presumably caused by cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Previous limited studies have suggested that the amyloid protein seen in elderly individuals with cerebral amyloid angiopathy is composed of beta protein. However, subcortical hemorrhage rarely occurs in such individuals. Our study shows that aged patients with different brain disorders commonly suffer from beta protein-type cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and we also suggest that the severity of beta protein-type cerebrovascular amyloid deposition is a fundamental factor in cerebral amyloid angiopathy-induced brain hemorrhage in the elderly. The nature of the cystatin C-immunoreactive substance in some of these vascular lesions is uncertain, but it might conceivably play an additional important role in the pathogenesis of brain hemorrhage in these cases.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Amyloid

KW - Amyloid beta-Peptides

KW - Antibodies

KW - Blood Vessels

KW - Cerebral Hemorrhage

KW - Cerebral Infarction

KW - Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins

KW - Cerebrovascular Circulation

KW - Congo Red

KW - Cystatin C

KW - Cystatins

KW - Humans

KW - Immunohistochemistry

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Nerve Tissue Proteins

U2 - 10.1161/01.STR.21.3.397

DO - 10.1161/01.STR.21.3.397

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 2408196

VL - 21

SP - 397

EP - 403

JO - Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation

JF - Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation

SN - 0039-2499

IS - 3

ER -