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Expression of monoamine oxidase B activity in astrocytes of senile plaques

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Summary

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) histochemistry has been performed in brains from patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and aged controls. Conspicuous MAO-positive cell clusters were frequently observed in the amygdala, hippocampus, and insular cortex in the brains of DAT. Double staining with glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry revealed that the clusterforming MAO-positive cells were astrocytes. Using Bielschowsky's method, Congo red and thioflavin S counterstaining, this astrocytic mass was shown to be associated with senile plaques. By the enzyme inhibition experiment, MAO activity in senile plaques was revealed to be of type B. The present results clearly indicate that MAO-B activity is expressed in fibrillary astrocytes in or around senile plaques, suggesting that these astrocytes metabolize exogenous amines in senile plaques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, 606, Kyoto, Japan

    S. Nakamura, T. Kawamata & I. Akiguchi

  2. Sumitomo Hospital, 530, Osaka, Japan

    M. Kameyama

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Yasui Hospital, 606, Kyoto, Japan

    N. Nakamura

  4. Division of Molecular Neuroanatomy, Molecular Neurobiology Research Centre, Shiga University of Medical Science, 520-21, Otsu, Japan

    H. Kimura

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  1. S. Nakamura
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  2. T. Kawamata
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  3. I. Akiguchi
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  4. M. Kameyama
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  5. N. Nakamura
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  6. H. Kimura
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Nakamura, S., Kawamata, T., Akiguchi, I. et al. Expression of monoamine oxidase B activity in astrocytes of senile plaques. Acta Neuropathol 80, 419–425 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307697

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307697

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