NACP, a presynaptic protein, immunoreactivity in Lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease.
NACP, originally identified as a precursor of the non-Abeta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid (NAC), is now known to be identical to alpha-synuclein, a presynaptic protein in the human brain. Recently, a mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene in families with autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease (PD) was identified. We carried out immunohistochemical examinations of the brains of sporadic PD patients using anti-NACP and anti-ubiquitin antibodies. Consistent with previous studies, the anti-NACP antibody immunostained the neuropil in a punctate pattern throughout the brain. Moreover, much stronger NACP immunoreactivity was found in Lewy bodies and degenerating neurites in the brainstem. Serial sections immunolabeled with anti-ubiquitin or anti-NACP showed that all ubiquitin-immunoreactive LBs were also NACP-immunoreactive. These findings suggest that alteration of NACP metabolism is involved in the pathogenesis of PD, particularly in Lewy body formation, leading to neurodegeneration.
Wakabayashi
K
K
Brain Disease Research Center, Niigata University, Japan. koichi@bri.niigata-u.ac.jp
Matsumoto
K
K
Takayama
K
K
Yoshimoto
M
M
Takahashi
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000682:Amyloid / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016631:Lewy Bodies / Q000737:chemistry*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D016501:Neurites / Q000737:chemistry; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
D000682:Amyloid; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein