Autophagosomes accumulation is associated with β-amyloid deposits and secondary damage in the thalamus after focal cortical infarction in hypertensive rats

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 564–573. Focal cerebral cortical infarction after distal middle cerebral artery occlusion causes β‐amyloid deposition and secondary neuronal degeneration in the ipsilateral ventroposterior nucleus of the thalamus. Several studies suggest that autophagy is an active pathway for β‐amyloid peptide generation. This study aimed to investigate the role of autophagy in thalamic β‐amyloid deposition and neuronal degeneration after cerebral cortical infarction in hypertensive rats. At 7 and 14 days after middle cerebral artery occlusion, neuronal death and β‐amyloid deposits were evident in the ipsilateral ventroposterior nucleus, and the activity of β‐site amyloid precursor protein (APP)‐cleaving enzyme 1, required for β‐amyloid peptide generation, was elevated in the thalamus. In correlation, both the number of cells showing punctate microtubule‐associated protein 1A light chain 3 fluorescence and levels of light chain 3‐II protein, an autophagosome marker, were markedly increased. Notably, most of the cells that over‐expressed β‐site APP‐cleaving enzyme 1 displayed punctate light chain 3 staining. Furthermore, the inhibition of autophagy with 3‐methyladenine significantly reduced the thalamic neuronal damage, β‐amyloid deposits, and β‐site APP‐cleaving enzyme 1 activity. These results suggest that autophagosomes accumulate within thalamic cells after cerebral cortical infarction, which is associated with thalamic β‐amyloid deposition and secondary neuronal degeneration via elevation of β‐site APP‐cleaving enzyme 1 level. Autophagy is an active pathway for β‐amyloid peptide generation. Here, we investigated the role of autophagy in thalamic β‐amyloid deposition and neuronal degeneration after cerebral cortical infarction. Our results indicated that autophagosomes accumulate within thalamic cells after cerebral cortical infarction, and the inhibition of autophagy with 3‐methyladenine significantly reduced the thalamic β‐amyloid deposits and neuronal damage. These findings suggest that autophagy may represent a novel target for the treatment of secondary thalamic damage after focal cortical infarction.