Peripheral distribution of dermatan sulfate proteoglycans (decorin) in amyloid-containing plaques and their presence in neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease.
We used a polyclonal antibody and a mixture of three monoclonal antibodies (MAb), all recognizing the protein core of the small dermatan sulfate proteoglycan (DSPG) (known as PG-II or decorin) derived from human skin fibroblasts, to immunolocalize this molecule in the characteristic lesions in Alzheimer's brain. All antibodies demonstrated positive decorin immunostaining in both the amyloid deposits of neuritic plaques (NPs) and the filamentous structures within neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Unlike heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), which tend to be evenly distributed throughout NPs containing amyloid fibrils, decorin was primarily localized to the periphery of the spherically shaped amyloid plaques and to the edges of amyloid fibril bundles within the plaque periphery. Decorin was also immunolocalized to the paired helical and straight filaments within NFTs and to collagen fibrils surrounding blood vessels. The unusual distribution of decorin confined to the periphery of amyloid plaques in AD brain suggests that this particular PG may play an important role in the development of the amyloid plaque.
Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
A D
AD
Snow
H
H
Mar
D
D
Nochlin
H
H
Kresse
T N
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Wight
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D000682:Amyloid / Q000032:analysis; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D058575:Decorin; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009443:Neuritis / Q000473:pathology; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D000682:Amyloid; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C546878:DCN protein, human; D058575:Decorin; D000939:Epitopes; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans