Distribution of beta amyloid associated proteins in plaques in Alzheimer's disease and in the non-demented elderly.
Recent studies have shown that cerebral beta amyloid (A beta) protein deposition is a necessary, but not sufficient, factor to develop the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present immunohistochemical study, we have investigated in AD the distribution of A beta associated proteins in the cerebral neocortex, in the cerebellar cortex where A beta plaques are mainly of the diffuse type, and also in the cerebral neocortex of non-demented patients with A beta plaques. Results show that immunolabeling for C1q, C4c, C3d, alpha 1-ACT and Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) occurs in the great majority of A beta plaques in all groups. ApoJ is present in A beta plaques of the cerebral neocortex in AD and in non-demented elderly, but is almost absent from those of the AD cerebellar cortex. C4Bp and P-component, in contrast to AD, rarely occurs in A beta plaques of the cerebral neocortex in the non-demented elderly. Heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HSPG) core protein and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) are absent in the diffuse A beta plaques in the AD cerebellum. These differences in distribution and expression of A beta associated proteins may be determined by brain region specific factors (cerebral cortex versus cerebellar cortex) and clinical state (demented versus non-demented cases). We suggest that, besides A beta peptide, certain A beta associated proteins are required for both amyloid plaque formation and for the induction of neurofibrillary changes.
Zhan
S S
SS
Graduate School of Neurosciences Amsterdam, Research Institute Neurosciences Vrije Universiteit, Dept. of Psychiatry, The Netherlands.
Veerhuis
R
R
Kamphorst
W
W
Eikelenboom
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000737:chemistry*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012016:Reference Values
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins