Localization of amyloid β protein messenger RNA in brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease

The distribution of cells containing messenger RNA that encodes amyloid β protein was determined in hippocampi and in various cortical regions from cynomolgus monkeys, normal humans, and patients with Alzheimer's disease by in situ hybridization. Both 35S-labeled RNA antisense and sense probes to amyloid β protein messenger RNA were used to ensure specific hybridization. Messenger RNA for amyloid β protein was expressed in a subset of neurons n the prefontal cortex from monkeys, normal humans, and patients with Alzheimer's disease. This messenger RNA was also present in the neurons of all the hippocampal fields from monkeys, normal humans and, altough to a lesser extent in cornu ammonis 1, patients with Alzheimer's disease. The distribution of amyloid β protein messenger RNA was similar to that of the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease in some regions, but the messenger RNA was also expressed in other neurons that are not usually involved in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease.