Phosphorylation of neurofilament proteins and localization of axonal swellings in motor neuron disease.
Seven lumbosacral spinal cords with motor neuron disease were examined immunocytochemically with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) directed against neurofilament proteins (NFP). Each of the 5 MAbs used in this study was monospecific to one of the triplet of NFP. Two of them were specific to the highly phosphorylated form of high molecular weight peptide of NFP (NFP-H). All 5 MAbs stained all axonal swellings examined. In 2 spinal cords examined, some axonal swellings were found in the anterolateral funiculus and some of these were as far as 1000 microns from the grey matter. This localization of axonal swellings suggests that a high degree of phosphorylation of NFP is not the cause of accumulation of NFP in axonal swellings in motor neuron disease.
Toyoshima
I
I
Department of Internal Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yamamoto
A
A
Masamune
O
O
Satake
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins