Immunohistochemical investigation of amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) in the brain of aged cats.

To clarify the immunohistochemical features of amyloid deposits and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), the distribution of the amyloid beta-protein subtypes Abeta40, Abeta42, Abeta43 and Abeta precursor protein (APP) were examined in the brains of fourteen aged cats (7.5-21 year-old). Two types of plaques were detected. The first type was characterized by Ass positive antigenic material and detected in the cortical layers of the frontal and parietal lobes of all examined cats. The second type was characterized by diffuse positive immune staining representing diffuse plaques, which were detected only in the very aged cats (17-21 years old) and distributed throughout the cortical layers of the parietal lobes. Vascular amyloid and the amyloid deposits were strongly positive-stained with the antibody Abeta42. APP was exhibited in neurons and axons while the staining was stronger in the very aged cats (17-21 years old). Our findings suggest that the feline forms a spontaneous model for understanding the early changes of normal brain aging and the early stage of amyloid beta-protein deposition.