Akt activity in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders

Enzyme activities of the serine/threonine kinase Akt were compared in mid-temporal and mid-frontal cortices from Alzheimer's disease cases and matched controls. Activities (GSK-3alpha/beta fusion protein phosphorylation by immunoprecipitated Akt) were significantly increased in temporal cortex soluble fractions from Alzheimer's disease compared with non-disease controls and positive disease controls with another neurodegenerative disease. Temporal cortex soluble fraction Akt activities positively correlated with Braak staging for neurofibrillary changes. Frontal cortex soluble fraction activities were significantly reduced in positive disease compared with Alzheimer's disease cases and non-disease controls. Strong Ser(473) Akt immunoreactivity was seen in Alzheimer's disease pyramidal neurons likely undergoing degeneration and in reactive astroglia. Non-disease and positive disease controls showed moderate Ser(473) Akt immunostaining of occasional pyramidal neurons.