L-type calcium channels in the hippocampus and cerebellum of Alzheimer's disease brain tissue.

Abstract

There is growing evidence that the selective neuronal cell death observed in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the result of dysregulation of intracellular calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis. In the present study, L-type voltage sensitive calcium channels (L-VSCCs) were examined in the cerebellum and hippocampus of AD (n = 6; postmortem interval less than 5 h) and age-matched control (n = 6) tissue by homogenate binding techniques and quantitative in vitro receptor autoradiography using [3H]isradipine (PN200-110). Saturation analyses of the cerebellum revealed unaltered [3H]isradipine binding parameters (Kd and Bmax) between AD and control subjects. Analysis of AD and control hippocampus demonstrated significant differences as [3H]isradipine binding increased (62%) in AD, whereas hippocampal cell density decreased (29%) in AD, relative to control subjects. Moreover, AD differentially affected L-VSCC in area CA1 and dentate gyrus. The dentate gyrus had greatly increased binding (77%) with little cell loss (16%) in AD brains, whereas area CA1 had increased binding (40%) with significant cell loss (42%) in AD brains, relative to controls. The results of the present study suggest that hippocampal area CA1 may experience greater cell loss in response to increased L-VSCCs in AD relative to other brain regions.

• Authors: A L Coon, D R Wallace, C F Mactutus, R M Booze
• Journal: Neurobiology of aging (Neurobiol Aging) 1999 Nov-Dec Vol. 20 Issue 6 Pg. 597-603 ISSN: 0197-4580 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10674425 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Calcium Channels, L-Type

Topics

• Alzheimer Disease (metabolism, pathology)
• Autoradiography
• Calcium Channels, L-Type (metabolism)
• Cerebellum (metabolism, pathology)
• Hippocampus (metabolism, pathology)
• Humans
• Kinetics