Localization of perlecan (or a perlecan‐related macromolecule) to isolated microglia in vitro and to microglia/macrophages following infusion of beta‐amyloid protein into rodent hippocampus

The origin of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (PG), perlecan, in beta‐amyloid protein (Aβ)‐containing amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain is not known. In the present investigation we used indirect immunofluorescence, SDS‐PAGE, and Western blotting with a specific perlecan core protein antibody to identify possible cell candidates of perlecan production in both primary cell cultures and in a rat infusion model. Double and triple‐labeled indirect immunofluorescence was performed on dissociated primary rat septal cultures using antibodies for specific identification of cell types and for perlecan core protein. In mixed cultures of both embryonic day 18 (containing neurons and glia) and postnatal day 2–3 (devoid of neurons), microglia identified by labeling with OX‐42 or anti‐ED1 were the only cell type also double labeled with an affinity‐purified polyclonal antibody against perlecan core protein. Similar immunolabeling of microglia with the anti‐perlecan antibody was also observed in purified cultures of post‐natal rat microglia. Analyses of PGs from cultured postnatal rat microglia by Western blotting using a polyclonal antibody against perlecan core protein revealed an ∼400 kDa band in cell layer, which was intensified following heparitinase/heparinase digestion, suggestive of perlecan core protein. Other lower Mr bands were also found implicating either degradation of the 400 kDa core protein or the presence of separate and distinct gene products immunologically related to perlecan. Reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction using human perlecan domain I specific primers demonstrated perlecan mRNA in cultured human microglia derived from postmortem normal aged and AD brain. Following a 1‐week continuous infusion of Aβ (1–40) into rodent hippocampus, immunoperoxidase immunocytochemistry and double‐labeled immunofluorescent studies revealed perlecan accumulation primarily localized to microglia/macrophages within the Aβ infusion site. These studies have identified microglia/macrophages as one potential source of perlecan (or a perlecan‐related macromolecule) which may be important for the ongoing accumulation of both perlecan and Aβ in the amyloid deposits of AD. GLIA 21:228–243, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.