<<snip>>
It is postulated that cholesterol could have subtly damaged brain
endothelial cells, resulting in increased iron transport across brain
endothelial cells.
<<snip>>
Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
Volume 125, Issue 4 , April 2004, Pages 305-313
doi:10.1016/j.mad.2004.01.008
Copyright © 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Increased iron staining in the cerebral cortex of cholesterol fed
rabbits
Wei-Yi Ong a, Benny Tan b, Ning Pan c, Andrew Jenner c, Matthew
Whiteman c, Choon-Nam Ong d, Frank Watt e and Barry Halliwell , , c
a Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore, Singapore
119260, Singapore
b Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore,
Singapore 119260, Singapore
c Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent
Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260, Singapore
d Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine, National
University of Singapore, Singapore 119260, Singapore
e Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
119260, Singapore
Available online 21 February 2004.
Abstract
The link between hypercholesterolemia and neuronal damage is not clear.
In the present study, we studied some of the possible effects of
hypercholesterolemia on the brain, using the cholesterol fed New
Zealand White rabbit as a model. An increase in the number of iron
positive cells (i.e. oligodendrocytes) was observed in the brain
parenchyma, in rabbits treated with a high cholesterol diet for 8
weeks. At this time, no neuronal death was observed, indicating that
the increased iron did not occur as a consequence of neuronal injury.
No heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) or bilirubin immunoreactivity was observed
in the brains in these rabbits, indicating that the iron accumulation
did not occur as a consequence of increased breakdown of heme. It is
postulated that cholesterol could have subtly damaged brain endothelial
cells, resulting in increased iron transport across brain endothelial
cells. Hypercholesterolaemia is known to be associated with increased
plasma lipid peroxidation which might contribute to such damage.
Author Keywords: Author Keywords: Cholesterol; Iron; Brain;
Oligodendrocytes; Hypercholesterolemia; Atherosclerosis
Corresponding author. Tel.: +65-687-43247; fax: +65-677-91453/779-1453.
Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
Volume 125, Issue 4 , April 2004, Pages 305-313
Who loves ya.
Tom