Fluoro-Jade B staining as useful tool to identify activated microglia and astrocytes in a mouse transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease

Brain Res. 2007 Jan 12;1128(1):40-9. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.05.050. Epub 2006 Nov 27.

Abstract

Fluoro-Jade B is known as a high affinity fluorescent marker for the localization of neuronal degeneration during acute neuronal distress. However, one study suggested that fluoro-Jade B stains reactive astroglia in the primate cerebral cortex. In this study, we analyzed the staining of fluoro-Jade B alone or combined with specific markers for detection of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) or activated CD68 microglia in the double APP(SL)/PS1 KI transgenic mice of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which display a massive neuronal loss in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Our results showed that fluoro-Jade B did not stain normal and degenerating neurons in this double mouse transgenic model. Fluoro-Jade B was co-localized with Abeta in the core of amyloid deposits and in glia-like cells expressing Abeta. Furthermore, fluoro-Jade B was co-localized with CD68/macrosialin, a specific marker of activated microglia, and with GFAP for astrocytes in APP(SL)/PS1 KI transgenic mice of AD. Taken together, these findings showed that fluoro-Jade B can be used to label activated microglia and astrocytes which are abundant in the brain of these AD transgenic mice. It could stain degenerating neurons as a result of acute insult while it could label activated microglia and astrocytes during a chronic neuronal degenerative process such as AD for example.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / genetics
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / metabolism
  • Astrocytes / metabolism
  • Astrocytes / pathology*
  • Brain / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fluoresceins
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microglia / metabolism
  • Microglia / pathology*
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / metabolism
  • Presenilin-1 / genetics

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic
  • CD68 antigen, human
  • Fluoresceins
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Presenilin-1
  • fluoro jade
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase