Regional differences in astrocyte activation in HIV-associated dementia

Since astrogliosis is a histological marker usually observed in HIV-associated dementia (HIV-D),we decided to investigate the potential relationship between the expression of glial fibrillary acidicprotein (GFAP) and the regional distribution of cells positive (+) for this specific marker of astrocyte activation.Histological sections of brain tissues obtained at necropsy from 5 HIV-D patients and 5 age-matched controlswithout history of neuropsychiatric illness were immunostained with peroxidase. Mean numbers of GFAP(+)astrocytes were significantly increased in entorhinal cortex, hippocampus and subcortical white matter of patients,but values in frontal cortex and basal ganglia were similar to those of controls. In contrast, surface density ofimmunoreactive GFAP was significantly increased in all tested brain areas from all patients, including unusuallyaffected regions such as entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. Therefore, such consistent finding of hypertrophicastrocytes, ranging from highest cell percentajes in subcortical white matter to lowest in basal ganglia indicatesthat quantification of surface density in GFAP (+) cells appears to be a more reliable approach to score gliosisthan the counting of their cell nuclei. Because astrocyte activation involves both protective and detrimental effectson adjacent neuronal subsets, the evidence of regional differences in this reactive potential highlights theimportance of accurately defining their contribution to the neuropathogenesis not only of HIV-D, but of a widerange of neurodegenerative disorders.

Diferencias regionales en la activación astrocitaria en demencia asociada a HIV. Siendo laastrogliosis un signo histológico habitualmente presente en demencia asociada a HIV, se investigóla eventual relación entre expresión de proteína gliofibrilar ácida (GFAP) y localización regional de células positivaspara ese marcador específico de la activación astrocitaria. Por inmunoperoxidasa, se procesaron cortes histológicosde tejidos cerebrales obtenidos por necropsia de 5 pacientes y 5 controles de edades similares pero sin antecedentesneuropsiquiátricos. Según los valores de las medias registrados por conteo de astrocitos GFAP(+) en pacientes,el número fue significativamente mayor en corteza entorrinal, hipocampo y sustancia blanca subcortical, mientrasque en corteza frontal y ganglios basales no se encontraron diferencias con controles. En cambio, la densidad desuperficie del material GFAP inmunorreactivo en pacientes estuvo significativamente aumentada en todas las áreascerebrales analizadas, incluso en regiones inusualmente afectadas, como corteza entorrinal e hipocampo. Entreesos astrocitos hipertróficos, el mayor porcentaje correspondió a sustancia blanca subcortical, y el menor a gangliosbasales. Cabe concluir que el constante hallazgo de agrandamiento astrocitario señala a la medida de la superficieinmuno-reactiva como mejor índice de activación celular que el conteo de núcleos de las células marcadas. Dadoslos reconocidos efectos de la astrogliosis sobre las subpoblaciones neuronales vecinas, la comprobadaregionalización de ese potencial reactivo destaca el interés de precisar su contribución en la neuropatogenia, tantode demencia asociada a HIV como de otras enfermedades neurodegenerativas.

Immunochemical expression of proliferative cell nuclear antigen in aging cultured astrocytes

Cell differentiation degree and mitotic activity were sequentially assessed by immunoperoxidase labeling of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), respectively, in rat brain cultured astrocytes maintained up to 60 days in vitro (DIV) of first subculture, or weekly passaged until their 12th subculture. Cell count was performed through a 0.01 mm2 section reticule and morphometric analysis with a stereological grid. The number of double immunoreactive cells peaked by 2 DIV to achieve its lowest value at 60 DIV. At 24 hs of cell seeding of successive passages, such values peaked by the 6th subculture to gradually decrease thereafter. Increasing cell hypertrophy was found during the long-term first subculture but not after passaging. At the end of the observation period, doubly immunolabeled astrocytes were still recorded, thus evidencing retention of proliferative potential despite aging

Marcadores inmunológicos y genéticos en diabetes mellitus tipo 1 en Argentina / Immunologic and genetic markers in type 1 diabetes mellitus in Argentina

El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la prevalencia y asociación de los marcadores inmunológicos (anticuerpo anti-islote pancreático: ICA, autoanticuerpo anti-insulina: IAA, anticuerpo antidecarboxilasa del ácido glutámico: GADA y anticuerpo anti ICA512) y con el genotipo HLA DQBl en pacientes con diabetes tipo 1 de reciente debut, hermanos de diabéticos y personas sin historia de enfermedad autoinmune en población argentina. Se estudiaron 79 niños con diabetes tipo 1 de reciente debut, 79 niños controles y 68 hermanos sanos de niños con diabetes 1. En todos ellos se determinó IAA, GADA, ICA, ICA512 y alelos HLA DQB1. La sensibilidad para ICA fue de 67.1 por ciento; para IAA de 36,7 por ciento; para GADA de 74,6 por ciento, y para ICA512 de 63,4 por ciento. Ninguno de los niños control presentó marcadores inmunológicos positivos. La sensibilidad combinada de ICA-IAA-GADA fue de 89,8 por ciento, similar a la de ICA512-GADA (87.3 por ciento) o la combinación de ICA512-GADA-IAA (91.1 por ciento). El valor de GADA presentó correlación positiva con el de ICA, no encontrándose correlación alguna entre los valores de IAA, ICA512 e ICA. El valor de IAA presentó correlación negativa y el de GADA positiva con la edad de los pacientes. La presencia de IAA se asoció con DQB1 *0201, mientras que la de ICA e ICA512 con DQB1 *0302. Entre los hermanos, 3/68 (4,4 por ciento) fueron positivos para IAA, uno (1,5 por ciento) lo fue para GADA y otro (1.5 por ciento) para ICA512. Nuestros resultados muestran que la combinación de múltiples marcadores incrementa la sensibilidad predictiva, siendo la asociación ICA512-GADA altamente sensible y equivalente a otras combinaciones propuestas como ICA-IAA-GADA

Immunologic and genetic markers in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Type 1) in a argentine population

The objective was to evaluate the prevalence and association of several markers (islet cell antibodies: ICA, ainsulin autoantibodies: IAA, glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies: GADA and ICA512 antibodies: ICA512A) along with HLA DQB1 genotype in type 1 diabetes mellitus of recent onset, including siblings and individuals without any history of this disease, in an Argentine population. A total of 79 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus of recent onset were studied, as well as 79 control children, and 68 healthy siblings of type 1 diabetic cases. IAA, ICA, GADA, ICA512A and HLA DQB1 alleles were determined. Sensitivity was 67.1 por ciento for ICA, 36.7 percent for IAA, 74.6 por ciento for GADA and 63.4 por ciento ICA512A. None of the control subjects was positive for the immunological markers. Combined sensitivity of ICA-IAA-GADA was 89.8 por ciento, similar to the ICA512A- GADA (87.3 percent) or ICA512A-GADA-IAA combination (91.1 por ciento ). GADA correlated positively with ICA, but no such correlation was found between IAA, ICA512A and ICA. IAA correlated negatively and GADA positively with age. IAA was associated to DQB1*0201, whereas ICA and ICA512A associated to DQB1*0302. Among siblings, 3/68 (4.4 percent) were positive for IAA and a single case (1.5 percent) was positive for GADA and one for ICA512A. Our findings show that the combination of multiple tests increases the sensitivity for prediction, with the ICA512A-GADA combination proving highly sensitive and equivalent to other proposed combinations, such as ICA-IAA-GADA.

A quantitative approach to correlate astrocyte differentiation and phagocytic activity

A triple staining procedure (PAP labeling for GFAP, PAS reaction for added yeast cells and hematoxylin for nuclear staining of the whole cell monolayer) had disclosed that Junin virus infection enhanced phagocytic activity by inducing greater astrocyte differentiation. Here, we resorted to a mathematical approach for simultaneous evaluation of astrocyte differentiation and potential phagocytosis. At light microscopy level, the total number of: a) PAS-stained yeast cells, b) PAS-stained yeast cells associated to GFAP-positive astrocytes, c) GFAP-positive astrocytes, and d) total number of GFAP-labeled and non-labeled astrocytes, were counted within the monolayer area delimited by a grid with a total area of 0.01 mm2. As the percentage of PAS-stained yeast cells associated to GFAP-positive astrocytes correlated significantly with the percentage of GFAP-positive astrocytes for the three yeast cell incubation times (24, 48 and 72 h), a mathematical approach involving a so-called beta parameter representing the percentage of differentiated astrocytes capable of taking up 50 of added yeast cells, was developed. Since beta value dropped along yeast cell incubation time, and more markedly in Junin-virus infected samples, a numerical value was thus available to assess enhanced phagocytic activity in astrocytes undergoing differentiation. Therefore, the application of a mathematical approach to cell monolayers subjected to current staining techniques, allows more objective analysis of data provided by cursory visualization at light microscopy level.

Cell differentiation increases astrocyte phagocytic activity: a quantitative analysis of both GFAP labeling and pas-stained yeast cells

Since efficiency of phagocytic potential in activated astrocytes is still a subject of controversy, an attempt was made to quantify simultaneously phagocytic activity and astrocyte differentiation. Resorting to Junin virus, known to induce astrocyte activation, infected vs control samples of cultured rat astroglial cells were serially harvested up to day 12 post-inoculation (pi), and subjected to a triple staining procedure consisting in immunoperoxidase labeling of GFAP, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction in added baker's yeast cells and hematoxylin for nuclear staining of the whole cell monolayer. Adopting GFAP labeling as a specific marker of astrocyte differentiation, the immunoprecipitate development over time was measured. Direct calculation of the initial reaction rate was feasible given its linear behavior during the first 10 min, so that GFAP amount was regarded proportional to peroxidase activity. As determined by digital image analysis, mean optical density (MOD) values of GFAP in infected samples increased from 0.618 + 0.082 at day 1 pi to 0.825 + 0.125 at day 3, leveling off at 1.010 + 0.101 as from day 9, while control unifected samples remained unchanged at roughly 0.6 during the entire observation period. In turn, phagocytosis was quantified by PAS staing densitometry, whose intensity varied according to wall degradation of yeast cells. MOD levels of PAS-stained phagocytized yeast cells were significantly lower (p <0.05) in efected vs control cultures at 48 and 72 h following their addition to the astroglial monolayer. According to simultaneous quantification of two components of astrocyte response to viral infection, it is concluded that phagocytic activity increases with astrocyte differentiation.