Loss of cholinergic synapses on the spinal motor neurons of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The expression of vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) was examined immunohistochemically in the cholinergic synapses on the spinal motor neuron of the patient with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). VAChT immunoreactive synapses were depleted on surviving motor neurons in SALS, while synaptophysin immunoreactivity was undiminished on the same neurons. This discrepancy suggests that in SALS, loss of cholinergic input on lower motor neurons is an early event, and may be part of the cause of death of those motor neurons.
Nagao
M
M
Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Fuchu, Japan.
Misawa
H
H
Kato
S
S
Hirai
S
S
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C493459:SLC18A3 protein, human; D016708:Synaptophysin; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; D000109:Acetylcholine