title: Antibody to beta-amyloid precursor protein recognizes an intermediate filament-associated protein in Alzheimer's and control fibroblasts.
abstract: The expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein (BAPP) and its mRNAs was studied in fibroblasts obtained from patients afflicted with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-matched controls. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), transcripts corresponding to 770, 751, 714, and 695 amino acids were detected in both AD and control fibroblasts. Antibody 22C11 against BAPP (Boehringer Mannheim) labeled an intracellular protein, specifically localized to the intermediate filament network. In addition to bands of the predicted molecular weights for BAPP (120-135 kDa), Western blotting revealed a 57 kDa band which was not evident in samples of human brain. As cytoskeletal elements are vital in maintaining cellular architecture and various cell interactions, localization of BAPP or a related molecule to the cytoskeleton suggests a possible structural role for this protein within the cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gauthier
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Durham
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008845:Microinjections; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014746:Vimentin