[Immunohistochemical findings in Huntington's Chorea: report of 9 cases].
The results of an immunohistochemical investigation on neostriatum of 9 cases of Huntington's disease are reported. In all cases the typical neuropathological findings were present (striatum atrophy, neuronal degeneration, gliosis). We did investigate on paraffin slides Synaptophysin (SYN), Neurofilament-protein (NF68), GFAP as well as the neuropeptides Met-Enkephalin (MEnk), Substance P (SP), Somatostatin (SS) and Neuropeptide Y (NPY). These neuropeptides, in particular MEnk and SP, are reported to coexist with the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the neurons of basal ganglia. In all cases, GFAP activity was increased. In 7 cases activity of SYN and NF68 was decreased. In 2 cases, however, SYN-immunoreactivity was increased; these findings might represent an expression of "regenerative" changes in surviving neurons. The reactions for neuropeptides did disclose, in accordance with the results of former investigators, a decreased activity of MEnk- and SP-neurons, whereas SS- and/or NPY-neurons appeared almost unchanged.
Galatioto
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Dipartimento di Patologia Umana (Neuropatologia), Università di Messina.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged