Increased density of metallothionein I/II-immunopositive cortical glial cells in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease

We have examined the possible role of metallothionein VII (MT mr) in Alzhei mer's disease (AD), with a focus on the cellular localization of MT mi rela tive to the astrocyte marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). In AD and preclinical AD cases, MT I/II immunolabeling was present in glial cell s and did not show a spatial relationship with P-amyloid plaques or neurofi brillary pathology. There was a six- to sevenfold increase in both NIT I/II - and GFAP-labeled cells in the gray matter of AD cases, relative to non-AD cases. However, there was a threefold increase in MT I/II-immunoreactive c ells, but not GFAP-labeled cells, in the gray matter of preclinical AD case s compared to non-AD cases. Therefore, the specific increase in MT I/II is associated with the initial stages of the disease process, perhaps due to o xidative stress or the mismetabolism of heavy metals. (C) 1998 Academic Pre ss.