Amyloid β-protein length and cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related haemorrhage

Abstract

The relationship between amyloid ‚-protein (A‚) length and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) Â2 allele, which is over-repre- sented in cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related haemorrhage (CAAH), has not previously been examined. Of 57 CAA patients studied, 37 had CAAH. All patients, particularly those with CAAH had more blood vessels immunoreactive for A‚40 than A‚42 in both the leptomeninges and cerebral cortex. CAAH patients had more A‚40-immunoreactive blood vessels in the leptomeninges ( p , 0.001) and cortex ( pà 0.027) than had non-haemorrhage patients. Cortical blood vessels, the usual source of haemorrhage in CAAH, were more frequently A‚42 immunoreactive in APOE Â2 carriers than in non-Â2 carriers ( pà 0.022). The APOE Â2 allele may predispose to CAAH by increasing the seeding of cortical blood vessels by A‚42. NeuroReport 11:937-940 & 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.