Quantitative neuronal c-Fos and c-Jun expression in Alzheimer's disease

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, has been proposed as a mechanism of ne uropathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Activation of immediate early gen es (IEG) c-jun and c-fos appears to be required for the initiation of apopt osis. Furthermore, the expression of c-jun is induced in cultured neurons t hat undergo beta-amyloid-mediated apoptosis suggesting a direct role for c- jun in the apoptosis of AD neurons. Using immunohistochemical methods, we c alculated the average number of neuronal profiles per unit area expressing c-Jun and c-Fos within hippocampal regions CA1, CA2/3, and CA4 in postmorte m brain samples from AD patients and age-matched non-AD patients. There was an increase in c-Jun-positive and c-Fos-positive neuronal profile density in nearly all AD hippocampal regions examined. In cerebellum there was no e vidence of apoptosis as determined by using TUNEL technique, and negligible c-Jun labeling. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.