Characterization of Periodic Acid-Schiff-Positive Granular Deposits in the Hippocampus of SJL/J Mice

Abstract

Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive granular deposits in the hippocampus have been reported previously in certain inbred mouse strains such as C57BL/6 and the senescent-accelerated mouse prone-8. Here, we report for the first time that similar PAS-positive granules age dependently occur in SJL/J mice, a mouse strain, for instance, used for central nervous system disease research. Moreover, similar granules stained intensely positive with a polyclonal antibody directed against p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). Granular deposits were absent in young mice and developed with aging in CA1 and CA2 regions of the hippocampus. Interestingly, granules significantly diminished in SJL/J mice previously treated with cuprizone, a copper chelator, which is a useful model for toxic demyelination. The presented data support the idea that granules might be the result of an imbalance of redox-active metals and/or a dysregulation of complementary mechanisms that regulate their homeostasis in astrocyte–neuron coupling, respectively. It remains to be determined whether the unsuspected immunoreactivity for p75NTR represents a false-positive reaction or whether p75NTR is crucially involved in the pathogenesis of age-related hippocampal granular deposits in mice.