Galanin hyperinnervation upregulates choline acetyltransferase expression in cholinergic basal forebrain neurons in Alzheimer's disease

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Abstract

Background: Fibers containing galanin (GAL) enlarge and hyperinnervate cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) nucleus basalis (NB) neurons in late-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet the physiological consequences of this phenomenon are unclear. Objective: To determine whether GAL hyperinnervation of cholinergic NB neurons modulates the expression of genes critical to cholinergic transmission [e.g. acetylcholine (ACh) metabolism and ACh receptors] in AD. Methods: Single-cell gene expression profiling was used to compare cholinergic mRNA levels in non-GAL-hyperinnervated NB neurons in tissue autopsied from cases classified as having no cognitive impairment (NCI) or late-stage AD (AD/GAL-) and in GAL-hyperinnervated (AD/GAL+) NB neurons from the same AD subjects. Results: AD/GAL+ cells displayed a significant upregulation in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA expression compared to NCI and AD/GAL- cells. Conclusion: GAL fiber hyperinnervation of cholinergic NB neurons upregulates the expression of ChAT, the synthetic enzyme for ACh, suggesting that GAL regulates the cholinergic tone of CBF neurons in AD. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG.

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease, Choline acetyltransferase, Cholinergic basal forebrain, Galanin

Publication Date

3-1-2008

Publication Title

Neurodegenerative Diseases

ISSN

16602854

E-ISSN

16602862

Volume

5

Issue

3-4

First Page

228

Last Page

231

PubMed ID

18322398

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1159/000113710

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