α1-Adrenergic receptor binding sites in post-mortal human cerebral microvessel preparations: preservation in multi-infarct dementia and dementia of Alzheimer typereceptor binding sites in post-mortal human cerebral microvessel preparations: preservation in multi-infarct dementia and dementia of Alzheimer type

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Abstract
Cerebral cortical microvessels were prepared from control, dementia of Alzheimer type (AD/SDAT) and multi-infarct dementia (MID) autopsy cases. The microvessel yields were approx. 200 μg protein/g starting material, and did not differ significantly between control, MID and AD/SDAT groups. The purity of the preparations was confirmed both by light and electron microscopy and by measurement of enrichment of the endothelial markers γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and alkaline phosphatase. Higher microvessel alkaline phosphatase activities and higher microvessel/homogenate ratios of activities of both enzymes in the MID and the AD/SDAT samples than in the control samples were found, which may be consistent with previous findings of structural abnormalities of the cerebral endothelial cells in AD/SDAT. The levels of [3H] prazosin binding did not differ significantly between control, MID and AD/SDAT samples at any [ligand] tested (0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 nM), suggesting conservation of microvessel α1-adrenoceptors in MID and AD/SDAT.