Deposition of amyloid in cerebral blood vessels (cerebral amyloid angiopathy, CAA) is a common condition in the elderly associated with both hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes. CAA is also a potentially important model for understanding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer' s disease, the other major beta-amyloidosis of the central nervous system. At the Alzheimer Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, we have used clinical, neuropathological, and genetic approaches to define the pathogenic steps involved in CAA. These studies have been limited, however, by the static nature of post-mortem brain tissue and the two-dimensional nature of single brain sections. The current proposal seeks to move beyond these limitations by using multi-photon confocal microscopy to observe the development of CAA in transgenic mice over time, and by using multi-photon microscopy and computer-aided image reconstruction to analyze the three-dimensional structure of affected blood vessels. We will use these techniques to examine the processes of 1) amyloid deposition in vessels; 2) breakdown of the amyloid-laden vessel wall; and 3) response to anti-amyloid immunotherapy. We will test whether Abeta initially deposits near vessel branchpoints, whether vessel amyloid affects the deposition of parenchymal amyloid, and whether amyloid deposits preferentially on specific vessels. We will generate a timeline of CAA, from the first deposition of A13 species through formation of amyloid, loss of smooth muscle cells and subsequent vasculopathic changes. We will determine whether there are potential detrimental effects to vessels by anti-Abeta therapies. Studies will be performed on mice doubly transgenic for mutant amyloid precursor protein and presenilin- 1, mice that demonstrate detectable CAA at ages as early as six months. Parallel studies on the three-dimensional structure of amyloid deposition and vessel breakdown will be performed on human tissue taken from collected cases of CAA, including the unique Iowa form of familial CAA. Successful completion of these studies will delineate the pathways involved in CAA initiation, propagation, and vessel damage, as well as determine the feasibility of specific immunotherapy for this currently untreatable disorder.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG021084-02
Application #
6652608
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BDCN-3 (01))
Program Officer
Snyder, Stephen D
Project Start
2002-09-01
Project End
2006-08-31
Budget Start
2003-09-01
Budget End
2004-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$346,000
Indirect Cost
Name
Massachusetts General Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
073130411
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02199
van Veluw, Susanne J; Kuijf, Hugo J; Charidimou, Andreas et al. (2017) Reduced vascular amyloid burden at microhemorrhage sites in cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Acta Neuropathol 133:409-415
Gurol, M Edip; Greenberg, Steven M (2013) A physiologic biomarker for cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Neurology 81:1650-1
Gregory, Julia L; Prada, Claudia M; Fine, Sara J et al. (2012) Reducing available soluble ?-amyloid prevents progression of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in transgenic mice. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 71:1009-17
Klooster, Rinse; Rutgers, Kim S; van der Maarel, Silvère M (2012) Selection of VHH antibody fragments that recognize different A? depositions using complex immune libraries. Methods Mol Biol 911:241-53
Lee, Jeong Hyun; Bacskai, Brian J; Ayata, Cenk (2012) Genetic animal models of cerebral vasculopathies. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci 105:25-55
Garcia-Alloza, Monica; Gregory, Julia; Kuchibhotla, Kishore V et al. (2011) Cerebrovascular lesions induce transient ?-amyloid deposition. Brain 134:3697-707
Rutgers, Kim S; van Remoortere, Alexandra; van Buchem, Mark A et al. (2011) Differential recognition of vascular and parenchymal beta amyloid deposition. Neurobiol Aging 32:1774-83
Linn, J; Halpin, A; Demaerel, P et al. (2010) Prevalence of superficial siderosis in patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Neurology 74:1346-50
Garcia-Alloza, Monica; Prada, Claudia; Lattarulo, Carli et al. (2009) Matrix metalloproteinase inhibition reduces oxidative stress associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in vivo in transgenic mice. J Neurochem 109:1636-47
Smith, Eric E; Greenberg, Steven M (2009) Beta-amyloid, blood vessels, and brain function. Stroke 40:2601-6

Showing the most recent 10 out of 18 publications