ACCUMULATION OF ADVANCED GLYCATION END-PRODUCTS OF THE MAILLARD REACTION WITH AGE IN HUMAN HIPPOCAMPAL-NEURONS

The recent immunological demonstration of advanced glycation end produ cts (AGE) of the Maillard reaction in several human tissues suggests a possible involvement of AGE in the aging process. We previously prepa red a monoclonal anti-AGE antibody (6D12) which recognized N-epsilon-( carboxymethyl)lysine. We examined, immunohistochemically, the effect o f aging on AGE-immunoreactivity in hippocampal pyramidal neurons in te n brain tissue samples obtained at autopsy from subjects aged 20-85 ye ars old. Using 6D12 antibody, our results demonstrated a positive corr elation between AGE-immunoreactivity in hippocampal pyramidal neurons and age. A more intense immunoreaction was observed in the CA3-4 pyram idal neurons compared with that of the CA1 neurons, known to be vulner able to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Our results suggest that AGE are probably involved in the aging process affecting the huma n central nervous system, and that AGE do not mainly contribute to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, at least in the CA1 neurons.