Apolipoprotein D expression absence in degenerating neurons of human central nervous system
Ana Navarro1, Cristina Ordóñez1, Eva Martínez1, Cristina Pérez1, Aurora Astudillo2 and Jorge Tolivia1
1Department of Morphology and Cellular Biology, University of Oviedo, Asturias, Spain and 2Service of Pathologic Anatomy of the Asturias Central Hospital, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
Offprint requests to: Dr. Jorge Tolivia. Dept. Morfología y Biología Celular. Facultad de Biología y Medicina. Universidad de Oviedo. Julián Clavería s/n. Oviedo 33006. Spain. e-mail: jtolivia@uniovi.es
Summary. Apolipoprotein D (apo D), a lipocalin transporter of small hydrophobic molecules could play an important role in several neurodegenerative diseases. However, its role in those diseases remains unclear. There has been reported increments of apo D in relation with different neuropathologic diseases. Recently, we reported the absence of apo D in neurons of substantia nigra which can contribute to the lability of neurons to oxidative damage. In order to determine the relationship between apo D expression and neuronal death, we studied the expression of apo D in various regions of human brains from patients without any neurological or psychological disorders, in relation with the neuronal damage revealed by Fluoro-Jade B staining. The absence of expression for apo D in injured neurons and the negative staining for Fluoro-Jade B of neurons that express apo D was observed in all sections studied. These findings are in accordance with the role possibly played by apo D in the neuroprotection of the nervous system. Histol Histopathol 23, 995-1001 (2008)
Key words: Apolipoprotein D, Neurodegeneration, Human, Histochemistry, Immunohistochemistry, Fluoro-Jade
DOI: 10.14670/HH-23.995