Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: increased hyaluronic acid in the media of the basilar artery

Hyaluronic acid in the basilar artery of 10 patients with sporadic amyotrop hic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 7 age-matched control subjects vr as examin ed histochemically and densitometrically. The intensity of staining with al cian blue was significantly increased (P=0.0007) in the media in ALS patien ts compared with that in control subjects. The staining was virtually elimi nated by Streptomyces hyaluronidase. These results clearly indicate an incr ease of hyaluronic acid in the media of the basilar artery in ALS patients. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.