title: Altered expression of calcium- and apoptosis-regulating proteins in multiple system atrophy Purkinje cells.
abstract: The expression patterns of the calcium binding proteins calbindin and parvalbumin and of the apoptosis modulating proteins Bcl-2, Bax, and Bcl-x were studied in the cerebellum of patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). Calbindin and parvalbumin immunoreactivity was markedly decreased in MSA Purkinje cells whereas Bax and Bcl-x protein expression was increased. Bcl-2 expression was restricted to a subpopulation of granule neurons, but no decrease of Bcl-2 was evident in MSA. Additional DNA end-labeling (ISEL) studies revealed only one possible apoptotic Purkinje cell nucleus, but nuclei in the cerebellar white matter, probably oligodendrocytes, in the cerebellum of patients with MSA. The present results suggest that a diminished calcium binding capacity of MSA Purkinje cells might lead to a change in the regulation of proteins of the bcl-2 family that could favor the pathologic initiation of apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wüllner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bornemann
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riederer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klockgether
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D064026:Calbindins; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000473:pathology*; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000032:analysis*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000032:analysis*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D064026:Calbindins; D010320:Parvalbumins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein