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Up‐regulation of osteopontin and αΒ‐crystallin in the normal‐appearing white matter of multiple sclerosis: an immunohistochemical study utilizing tissue microarrays
Author(s) -
Sinclair C.,
Mirakhur M.,
Kirk J.,
Farrell M.,
McQuaid S.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
neuropathology and applied neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.538
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1365-2990
pISSN - 0305-1846
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2004.00638.x
Subject(s) - osteopontin , multiple sclerosis , pathology , pathogenesis , white matter , immunohistochemistry , biology , myelin basic protein , myelin , tissue microarray , microglia , proinflammatory cytokine , immunology , medicine , central nervous system , inflammation , neuroscience , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology
Tissue microarrays assembled from control and multiple sclerosis (MS) brain tissue have been used to assess the expression patterns and cellular distribution of two antigens, the proinflammatory cytokine osteopontin and the inducible heat shock protein αΒ‐crystallin, which have previously been implicated in MS pathogenesis. Tissue cores were taken from paraffin‐embedded donor blocks containing chronic active or chronic inactive plaques and normal‐appearing white matter (NAWM) in seven MS cases, and white matter (WM) in five control cases. Expression patterns of both proteins were assessed against myelin density and microglial activation in the different tissue categories. Both proteins showed increased expression in all categories of MS tissue compared with control WM. The results indicate progressive up‐regulation of expression of osteopontin with increased plaque activity, while elevation of αΒ‐crystallin expression in MS tissue was independent of demyelination. In MS NAWM a significant correlation was observed between high levels of expression of osteopontin and αΒ‐crystallin. Osteopontin expression was predominantly confined to astrocytes throughout MS tissues. αΒ‐crystallin was expressed on astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and occasionally on demyelinated axons. Taken together, these data indicate a wider distribution of osteopontin and αΒ‐crystallin in MS tissues than previously described and support their proposed role in MS pathogenesis.