title: Pyroglutamate-Aβ 3 and 11 colocalize in amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease cerebral cortex with pyroglutamate-Aβ 11 forming the central core.
abstract: N-terminal truncated amyloid beta (Aβ) derivatives, especially the forms having pyroglutamate at the 3 position (AβpE3) or at the 11 position (AβpE11) have become the topic of considerable study. AβpE3 is known to make up a substantial portion of the Aβ species in senile plaques while AβpE11 has received less attention. We have generated very specific polyclonal antibodies against both species. Each antibody recognizes only the antigen against which it was generated on Western blots and neither recognizes full length Aβ. Both anti-AβpE3 and anti-AβpE11 stain senile plaques specifically in Alzheimer's disease cerebral cortex and colocalize with Aβ, as shown by confocal microscopy. In a majority of plaques examined, AβpE11 was observed to be the dominant form in the innermost core. These data suggest that AβpE11 may serve as a generating site for senile plaque formation.
authors: Geriatrics Research, Education and Clinical Center, Bedford Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bedford, MA 01730, USA. chris.sullivan@va.gov
authors: Christopher P
authors: CP
authors: Sullivan
authors: Eric A
authors: EA
authors: Berg
authors: Rosemary
authors: R
authors: Elliott-Bryant
authors: Jordan B
authors: JB
authors: Fishman
authors: Ann C
authors: AC
authors: McKee
authors: Peter J
authors: PJ
authors: Morin
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Shia
authors: Richard E
authors: RE
authors: Fine
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid