title: Localization of A11-reactive oligomeric species in prion diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate in prion diseases the in-situ localization of prion protein oligomers sharing a common epitope with amyloid oligomers involved in a range of neurodegenerative diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We performed immunohistochemistry on sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) (n = 9) and hereditary Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS) (n = 1) specimens with the anti-oligomer antibody A11 to determine the localization of reactive species. We found that A11 reactivity in the sCJD specimens was localized to the cerebral and cerebellar cortices both in spongiform and adjacent, non-spongiform areas, reminiscent of multicentric or diffuse plaques. In the GSS specimens, we found that staining was closely associated with kuru-like plaques, and that A11-reactive species colocalized with protease-resistant prion protein (Prp(Sc)). We also observed sporadic neuronal cytosolic staining in both types of specimen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirm that intracellular and extracellular A11-reactive species are present in situ in sCJD cases and GSS, and that immunoreactivity for A11 and Prp(Sc) overlaps. We argue that the A11-reactive species are indeed composed of oligomeric Prp(Sc), and suggest that the toxic effects of Prp(Sc) oligomers could be related to the generic oligomeric conformation recognized by A11.
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Immunology and Genetics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark. fai@ssi.dk
authors.forename: Frederik H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Aidt
authors.forename: Lis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Hasholt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laursen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D016098:Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Disease / Q000151:congenital / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms