Activated Astrocytes Display Increased 5-HT2a Receptor Expression in Pathological States

• Published in: Experimental neurology 1999-08, Vol.158 (2), p.529-533
• Main Authors: Wu, C., Singh, S.K., Dias, P., Kumar, S., Mann, D.M.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 5-HT2 receptors; Aged; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; astrocytes; Astrocytes - metabolism; Astrocytes - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Brain Diseases - metabolism; Brain Diseases - pathology; Caudate Nucleus - metabolism; Caudate Nucleus - pathology; cerebral infarction; Cerebrovascular Disorders - metabolism; Cerebrovascular Disorders - pathology; Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome - metabolism; Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome - pathology; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Frontal Lobe - metabolism; Frontal Lobe - pathology; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - analysis; Humans; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; neurodegenerative disease; Neurology; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2B; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C; Receptors, Serotonin - analysis; Receptors, Serotonin - metabolism; Reference Values; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0014-4886; 1090-2430
• DOI: 10.1006/exnr.1999.7105

In human brain tissues from patients dying with cerebral infarction, hypertensive encephalopathy, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease there is an activation of astrocytes. Such activated astrocytes display GFAP and strong 5-HT2A, but not 5-HT2B or 5-HT2C, receptor immunoreactivity; this 5-HT2A reaction has not been observed in normal, nonactivated astrocytes. It is suggested that an up-regulation of 5-HT2A receptors may be part of an early response reaction in astrocytes, possibly designed to maintain homeostasis or to induce secondary message pathways involving trophic factors or glycogenolysis.