Distribution of interleukin-1-immunoreactive microglia in cerebral cortical layers: implications for neuritic plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease

• Published in: Neuropathology and applied neurobiology 1998-08, Vol.24 (4), p.278-283
• Main Authors: SHENG, J. G, GRIFFIN, W. S. T, ROYSTON, M. C, MRAK, R. E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor - analysis; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral Cortex - chemistry; Cerebral Cortex - cytology; cerebral cortical layers; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Female; Humans; interleukin-1; Interleukin-1 - analysis; Interleukin-1 - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; microglia; Microglia - chemistry; Neurology; Plaque, Amyloid - chemistry; s disease; Temporal Lobe - chemistry; Temporal Lobe - cytology; β-amyloid precursor protein
• ISSN: 0305-1846; 1365-2990
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2990.1998.00122.x

Activated microglia overexpressing interleukin‐1 (IL‐1) are prominent neuropathological features of Alzheimer’s disease. We used computerized image analysis to determine the number of IL‐1α‐immunoreactive (IL‐1α+ ) microglia in cytoarchitectonic layers of parahippocampal gyrus (Brodmann’s area 28) of Alzheimer and control patients. For cortical layers I and II, the numbers of IL‐1α+ microglia were similar in Alzheimer and control patients. For layers III–VI, the numbers of IL‐1α+ microglia were higher than that seen in layers I–II for both Alzheimer and control patients. Moreover, for layers III–VI, the number of IL‐1α+ microglia in Alzheimer patients was significantly greater than that in control patients (relative Alzheimer values of threefold for layer III–V and twofold for layer VI; P