β-Amyloid Protein Precursor and τ mRNA Levels Versus β-Amyloid Plaque and Neurofibrillary Tangles in the Aged Human Brain |
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| Authors: | Fumitaka Oyama Hiroyuki Shimada† Rieko Oyama Koiti Titani Yasuo Ihara†‡ |
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| Institution: | Division of Biomedical Polymer Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi;Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical College, Shinjukuku;Departments of Pathology and Neurophysiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Itabashiku;Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Brain Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: To learn whether or not the levels of β-amyloid protein precursor (APP) and τ mRNAs are related to the formation of β-amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles, we quantified these mRNA levels in three cortical regions of 38 aged human brains, which were examined immunocyto-chemically for β-amyloid and tangles. Marked individual variabilities were noted in APP and τ mRNA levels among elderly individuals. The mean APP mRNA level was slightly reduced in the β-amyloid plaque (++) group, but not in the plaque (+) group, compared to the plaque (−) group. Some brains in the plaque (−) group showed increased APP expression, the extent of which was not seen in the plaque (+)or(++) group. The differences in the mean τ mRNA levels were not statistically significant among the tangle (−), (+), and (++) groups. These results show that β-protein and τ deposition do not accompany increased expression of the APP and τ genes, respectively, and thus suggest that factors other than gene expression may be at work in the progression of β-amyloid and/or tangle formation in the aged human brain. |
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| Keywords: | Alzheimer's disease Aged brain β-Amyloid protein precursor mRNA level τ mRNA level-Isoform |
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