title: Glial tau-positive structures lack the sequence encoded by exon 3 of the tau protein gene.
abstract: Tau protein comprises six distinct isoforms defined by the presence or absence of sequences encoded by alternatively spliced exon 2, 3 and 10. We have investigated immunohistochemically the expression of exon 3-derived fragment (E-3) of tau protein in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases in which the abnormal accumulation of tau protein takes place. In AD, a subset of neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads and dystrophic neurites in senile plaques were stained positively with an anti-E-3 antibody. In sharp contrast, glial tau-positive structures, such as astrocytic plaques and oligodendroglial coiled bodies, were negative for E-3 in all cases examined in this study. This is the first report to discriminate tau-positive inclusions in glial cells from those in neurons at the molecular level.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okochi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furiya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iseki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016875:tau Proteins