title: Alpha B-crystallin is a major component of glial cytoplasmic inclusions in multiple system atrophy.
abstract: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is characterized by the formation of oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) consisting of alpha-synuclein filaments. AlphaB-crystallin, a small chaperone protein that binds to unfolded proteins and inhibits aggregation, has been documented in GCIs. We investigated the relative abundance and speciation of alphaB-crystallin in GCIs in MSA brains. We also examined the influence of alphaB-crystallin on the formation of cytoplasmic inclusions in cultured glial cells. Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed alphaB-crystallin is a prominent component of GCIs, more abundant than in Lewy bodies in Lewy body dementia. One- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometric analysis of GCIs immunopurified from MSA brains indicated that alphaB-crystallin is a major protein component with multiple post-translationally modified species. In cultured C6 glioma cells treated with the proteasomal inhibitor, lactacystin, to induce accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, a subset of cells showed increased cytoplasmic staining for alphaB-crystallin. Proteasome-inhibited cells transfected with GFP-tagged alpha-synuclein resulted in ubiquitin- and alphaB-crystallin-positive aggregates resembling GCIs in MSA brains. Our results indicate that alphaB-crystallin is a major chaperone in MSA, and suggest a role of the protein in the formation of inclusion bodies in glial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Physiology, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Pountney
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Treweek
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chataway
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chegini
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Blumbergs
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Raftery
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Gai
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain