title: Calbindin-D28K, parvalbumin and calretinin in primate lower motor neurons.
abstract: It has been suggested that lower motor neurons containing calcium-binding proteins (CBP) may be resistant to degeneration in motor neuron disease. The testing of this hypothesis is hampered by lack of comprehensive information regarding the presence of CBPs in motor neurons. To address this shortcoming, we investigated the distribution of the CBPs calbindin-D28K (CB), parvalbumin (PV) and calretinin (CRT) in lower motor neurons in the normal human and two non-human primates (rhesus monkey and common marmoset) using immunohistochemistry. A variable proportion of motor neurons in cranial nerve motor nuclei contained immunoreactivity for one or more CBPs. A subpopulation of spinal cord alpha-motor neurons was also CBP-positive. Comparison of staining for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and CBPs in the human spinal cord demonstrated that approximately 63% of ventral horn motor neurons contained PV, 53% contained CRT and 56% contained CB. CBP immunoreactivity within motor neurons was of variable staining intensity. It remains to be established whether the presence of these CBPs confers protection against the pathogenic mechanisms of motor neuron disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Neurodegenerative and Aging Research, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Section of Gerontology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, Burlington Research Building, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Ashkan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fahandejsaadi
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Rhoda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rahaii
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Changiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geula
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D064092:Calbindin 1; D064032:Calbindin 2; D064026:Calbindins; D002144:Callithrix; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C576498:CALB1 protein, human; C576764:CALB2 protein, human; D064092:Calbindin 1; D064032:Calbindin 2; D064026:Calbindins; D010320:Parvalbumins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase