Immersion autometallographic tracing of zinc ions in Alzheimer beta-amyloid plaques

M Stoltenberg, M Bruhn, C Søndergaard, P Doering, M J West, A Larsen, J C Troncoso, G Danscher

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

54 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

An easy to perform autometallographic technique (AMG) for capturing zinc ions in Alzheimer plaques is presented. The possibility of visualizing loosely bound or free zinc ions in tissue by immersion autometallography (iZnS(AMG)) is a relatively recent development. The iZnS(AMG) staining is caused by zinc-sulphur nanocrystals created in 1-2 mm thick brain slices that are immersed in a 0.1% sodium sulphide, 3% glutaraldehyde phosphate buffered solution, the NeoTimm Solution (NTS), for 3 days. When the zinc-sulphur nanocrystals are subsequently silver-enhanced by autometallography, the plaques are readily identified as spheres of dark interlacing strands of different sizes, embedded in the pattern of zinc-enriched terminals. The zinc specificity of the iZnS(AMG) technique was tested by immersion of brain slides in the chelator DEDTC prior to the NTS immersion. The iZnS(AMG) detection of zinc ions is easily standardized and can be used in the quantification of plaques with stereological methods. This technique is the first to detect zinc in plaques in the cerebellum of transgenic PS1/APP mice and the first to detect zinc ions in plaques and dystrophic neurites at electron microscopical levels.

Original languageEnglish
JournalHistochemistry and cell biology
Volume123
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)605-11
Number of pages7
ISSN0948-6143
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease/metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/genetics
  • Animals
  • Crystallography/methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins/genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Nanotechnology/methods
  • Plaque, Amyloid/chemistry
  • Presenilin-1
  • Zinc/analysis

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