Apolipoprotein E: a pathological chaperone protein in patients with cerebral and systemic amyloid.
Many biochemically diverse proteins can give rise to amyloid fibrils; however, they are all accompanied by P component and glucosaminoglycans. With antibodies specific to apolipoprotein E (apo E) we used immunohistochemical techniques to test for the presence of this protein in both cerebral and systemic amyloid. We found apo E immunoreactivity in all tested types of cerebral and systemic amyloid. In amyloid deposits apo E P, component and glucosaminoglycans may be acting as 'pathological molecular chaperones'. The latter we define as a group of unrelated proteins that induce beta-pleated conformation in amyloidogenic polypeptides.
Wisniewski
T
T
Department of Pathology, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016.
Frangione
B
B
D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000378:metabolism
D000682:Amyloid; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component