Astrocytosis, microgliosis, metallothionein-I-II and amyloid expression in high cholesterol-fed rabbits.

Cholesterol is considered a risk factor in vascular dementia as well as in Alzheimer's disease. Several biochemical, epidemiological and genetic aspects established a correlation between cholesterol concentration and Alzheimer's disease. Microglia activation, astrocytosis with metallothionein-I-II overexpression, amyloid beta intraneuronal accumulation and a rare formation of amyloid beta extracellular positive deposits were the major immunohistochemical features observed in the brain of high cholesterol-fed animals. The relevance on the cholesterol metabolism in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis is also discussed.