A beta 42 is the predominant form of amyloid beta-protein in the brains of short-term survivors of head injury.
Fatal head injury results in the formation of diffuse parenchymal deposits of amyloid beta-protein (A beta) in the brains of approximately 30% of individuals. We used carboxyl terminal-specific antisera to examine the exact nature of these deposits in paraffin sections of neocortex from seven head-injured patients. Immunostaining for A beta 42 was observed in all parenchymal deposits whereas staining for A beta 40, the form of the protein which predominates in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, was seen in only a small proportion of deposits. The relative paucity of A beta 40 suggests that post-traumatic deposits do not arise as a result of passive leakage from damaged cerebral blood vessels but are similar to the early A beta 42 parenchymal deposits seen in Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.
Gentleman
S M
SM
Department of Anatomy, Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London, UK.
Greenberg
B D
BD
Savage
M J
MJ
Noori
M
M
Newman
S J
SJ
Roberts
G W
GW
Griffin
W S
WS
Graham
D I
DI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis*; D017741:Survivors
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42)