ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE 1L1 IN RAT BRAIN CELLS

Abstract

Aldehyde dehydrogenase belonging to family 1, member L1 (Aldh1L1) is one of the most important enzymes called astrocytes that determine such important functions of these cells as participation in folate metabolism and inactivation of formiate in the CNS. The aim of this study was immunocytochemical detection of cells synthetizing Aldh1L1 in rat brain, and determination of their topography and morphology features. The brain of adult male Wistar rats (n=10) was used at the work. The material was fixed in zinc-ethanol-formaldehyde, a special fixative providing high preservation of antigenic determinants. It was shown that A ldh1L1 is detected in all brain anatomic structures. Among brain cells expressing Aldh1L1 macroglia cells - astrocytes and ep-endymocytes - were identified. In astrocytes the most intensive immunohistochemical reaction was observed in the endfeets of processes of these cells and in superficial astrocytes forming the superficial glial border membrane. In ependymocytes, the product of immune reaction was detected in the cytoplasm as numerous granules of various shapes and size (from 0.1x0.2 to 1.3X3.7 pm). The predominant localization of Aldh1L1 in brain cells involved in transport of substances through blood-brain, CSF-brain, and CSF-blood barriers allows one to expect that this protein will prove to be useful functional marker during experimental investigations of the CNS barrier system and evaluating the reaction of brain to toxic metabolic products of alcohol surrogates.