Imaging and Spectral Characteristics of Amyloid Plaque Autofluorescence in Brain Slices from the APP/PS1 Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
1 Research Section, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441021, China
2 Center for Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
3 National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
4 Neurology Department, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441021, China
5 Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan 430074, China
Abstract
Amyloid deposits are one of the hallmark pathological lesions of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). They can be visualized by thioflavin-S, silver impregnation, Congo red staining, and immunohistochemical reactions. However, that amyloid deposits generate blue autofluorescence (auto-F) has been ignored. Here, we report that visible light-induced auto-F of senile plaques (SPs) was detected and validated with conventional methods. Brain slices from APP/PS1 (amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1) transgenic mice were mounted on slides, rinsed, coverslipped and observed for details of the imaging and spectral characteristics of the auto-F of SPs. Then the slices were treated with the above classic methods for comparative validation. We found that the SP auto-F was greatest under blue-violet excitation with a specific emission spectrum, and was much easier, more sensitive, and reliable than the classic methods. Because it does not damage slices, observation of auto-F can be combined with all post-staining techniques in slices and for brain-wide imaging in AD.
Keywords
Alzheimer’s disease; Amyloid deposits; Senile plaques; Autofluorescence; Spectral imaging; Glial activation
