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Microangiopathy in the cerebellum of patients with mitochondrial DNA disease

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Nichola Lax, Dr Ilse Pienaar, Dr Amy Reeve, Philippa Hepplewhite, Dr Evelyn Jaros, Professor Robert Taylor, Professor Raj KalariaORCiD, Emeritus Professor Doug Turnbull

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Abstract

Neuropathological findings in mitochondrial DNA disease vary and are often dependent on the type of mitochondrial DNA defect. Many reports document neuronal cell loss, demyelination, gliosis and necrotic lesions in post-mortem material. However, previous studies highlight vascular abnormalities in patients harbouring mitochondrial DNA defects, particularly in those with the m.3243A > G mutation in whom stroke-like events are part of the mitochondrial encephalopathy lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes syndrome. We investigated microangiopathic changes in the cerebellum of 16 genetically and clinically well-defined patients. Respiratory chain deficiency, high levels of mutated mitochondrial DNA and increased mitochondrial mass were present within the smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells comprising the vessel wall in patients. These changes were not limited to those harbouring the m.3243A > G mutation frequently associated with mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes, but were documented in patients harbouring m.8344A > G and autosomal recessive polymerase (DNA directed), gamma (POLG) mutations. In 8 of the 16 patients, multiple ischaemic-like lesions occurred in the cerebellar cortex suggestive of vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction. Indeed, changes in vascular smooth muscle and endothelium distribution and cell size are indicative of vascular cell loss. We found evidence of blood-brain barrier breakdown characterized by plasma protein extravasation following fibrinogen and IgG immunohistochemistry. Reduced immunofluorescence was also observed using markers for endothelial tight junctions providing further evidence in support of blood-brain barrier breakdown. Understanding the structural and functional changes occurring in central nervous system microvessels in patients harbouring mitochondrial DNA defects will provide an important insight into mechanisms of neurodegeneration in mitochondrial DNA disease. Since therapeutic strategies targeting the central nervous system are limited, modulating vascular function presents an exciting opportunity to lessen the burden of disease in these patients.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Lax NZ, Pienaar IS, Reeve AK, Hepplewhite PD, Jaros E, Taylor RW, Kalaria RN, Turnbull DM

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Brain

Year: 2012

Volume: 135

Issue: 6

Pages: 1736-1750

Print publication date: 09/05/2012

Date deposited: 31/10/2012

ISSN (print): 0006-8950

ISSN (electronic): 1460-2156

Publisher: Oxford University Press

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/aws110

DOI: 10.1093/brain/aws110


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
ESRC
MRC
UK NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ageing and Age-related disease
BBSRC
EPSRC
UK NHS
906919Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research
G0400074UK Medical Research Council
G0700718Wellbeing Initiative

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