Characterization of Periodic Acid-Schiff-Positive Granular Deposits in the Hippocampus of SJL/J Mice

Abstract

Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive granular deposits in the hippocampus have been reported previously in certain inbred mouse strains such as C57BL/6 and the senescent-accelerated mouse prone-8. Here, we report for the first time that similar PAS-positive granules age dependently occur in SJL/J mice, a mouse strain, for instance, used for central nervous system disease research. Moreover, similar granules stained intensely positive with a polyclonal antibody directed against p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75 NTR ). Granular deposits were absent in young mice and developed with aging in CA1 and CA2 regions of the hippocampus. Interestingly, granules significantly diminished in SJL/J mice previously treated with cuprizone, a copper chelator, which is a useful model for toxic demyelination. The presented data support the idea that granules might be the result of an imbalance of redox-active metals and/or a dysregulation of complementary mechanisms that regulate their homeostasis in astrocyte-neuron coupling, respectively. It remains to be determined whether the unsuspected immunoreactivity for p75 NTR represents a false-positive reaction or whether p75 NTR is crucially involved in the pathogenesis of age-related hippocampal granular deposits in mice.

ChronicPorphyromonas gingivalisinfection accelerates the occurrence of age-related granules in ApoE–/–mice brains

“…The neutral histology techniques confirmed PAS-positive argyrophilic granules in the hippocampus of infected ApoE −/− mice, and their distribution resembled previous observations [ 1 – 3 , 27 , 28 ]. The immunohistochemistry results with the anti-peptidoglycan antibody indicated an enhanced occurrence of age-related granules in infected brains, together with diffuse areas of immunoreactivity when compared with sham-infected mice.…”

Brain and spinal cord lesions in 28 inbred strains of aging mice

“…10,34,57,59 PAS stains of aging mouse brain have shown common PASpositive granules in the hippocampus and other regions of many mouse strains. 13,26,32,35,57 We confirmed its common occurrence in a few strains. Focal thalamic mineralization, the frequency of which was strain-related, was found to be blood vessel associated and highest in C3H mice.…”

“…We performed PAS staining on 9 mice from representative strains (FVB/NJ, C57BL/6J, PWD/PhJ, BUB/BnJ, CBA2/J) and confirmed that the mice had PAS-positive granules in the neuropil of the hippocampus of all strains reviewed. 13,26,32,35,57 Many neurons in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum (Purkinje cells), medulla, thalamus, and spinal cord often had small PAS+ granules which usually were not present as pigmented granules in H&E stain nor autofluorescence with a GFP green filter. The cerebellar Purkinje cells had pigmented cytoplasm occasionally but were also usually not autofluorescent.…”

Alleviation of Memory Deficit by Bergenin via the Regulation of Reelin and Nrf-2/NF-κB Pathway in Transgenic Mouse Model

“…Each mouse brain section was carefully mounted on the glass slide and was stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). The pathological granular structures in different regions of interest (ROI), i.e., the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and entorhinal cortexes of the mouse brains were stained positively with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) [ 70 , 71 ]. The granules were observed to be round to ovoid in appearance, when observed under light microscope using scale bars 50 µm.…”