Aluminium exposure induces Alzheimer’s disease-like histopathological alterations in mouse brain
L.F. Rodella1, F. Ricci1, E. Borsani1, A. Stacchiotti1, E. Foglio1, G. Favero1, R. Rezzani1, C. Mariani2 and R. Bianchi1
1Unit of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Brescia and 2Neurological Clinic, University of Milan, Italy.
Offprint requests to: Prof. L.F. Rodella, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, Unit of Human Anatomy, University of Brescia, Viale Europa, 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy. e-mail: rodella@med.unibs.it
Summary. Aluminium (Al) is a neurotoxic metal and Al exposure may be a factor in the aetiology of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The major pathohistological findings in the AD brain are the presence of neuritic plaques containing ß-amyloid (Aß) which may interfere with neuronal communication. Moreover, it has been observed that GRP78, a stress-response protein induced by conditions that adversely affect endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function, is reduced in the brain of AD patients. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the expression of Aß and GRP78 in the brain cortex of mice chronically treated with aluminium sulphate. Chronic exposure over 12 months to aluminium sulphate in drinking water resulted in deposition of Aß similar to that seen in congophilic amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in humans and a reduction in neuronal expression of GRP78 similar to what has previously been observed in Alzheimer’s disease. So, we hypothesise that chronic Al administration is responsible for oxidative cell damage that interferes with ER functions inducing Aß accumulation and neurodegenerative damage. Histol Histopathol 23, 433-439 (2008)
Key words: Beta amyloid, GRP78, neurodegenerative damage, aluminium sulphate, Alzheimer’s disease
DOI: 10.14670/HH-23.433