Figure 2.

Hepcidin protein accumulates around the senile plaques in AD and DS brains. AD and DS brain sections from the SFG were labeled with double immunofluorescence using anti-Aβ42, anti-hepcidin and counterstained with 4′6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) for nuclei (blue) and imaged with confocal microscopy. In AD brain, hepcidin staining was visible in the neuropil and fibrillary structures close to the Aβ42 positive senile plaques (SP) (A–C), white arrows highlighting the selected areas with hepcidin in neuropil and Aβ42 staining in the SP). In DS brain, abundant Aβ42 positive cotton wool appearance of SP, close to the blood vessels were observed, while very limited hepcidin positive glial cells were present in the periphery of plaques (D–F). In contrast, control brains showed co-localization of Aβ42 and hepcidin near the blood vessels (G), while hepcidin predominated in the astrocytes located in the periphery of the glial cells (H). Scale bar: (A–H) = 25 μm.