New perspectives on corpora amylacea in the human brain.
Corpora amylacea are structures of unknown origin and function that appear with age in human brains and are profuse in selected brain areas in several neurodegenerative conditions. They are constituted of glucose polymers and may contain waste elements derived from different cell types. As we previously found on particular polyglucosan bodies in mouse brain, we report here that corpora amylacea present some neo-epitopes that can be recognized by natural antibodies, a certain kind of antibodies that are involved in tissue homeostasis. We hypothesize that corpora amylacea, and probably some other polyglucosan bodies, are waste containers in which deleterious or residual products are isolated to be later eliminated through the action of the innate immune system. In any case, the presence of neo-epitopes on these structures and the existence of natural antibodies directed against them could become a new focal point for the study of both age-related and degenerative brain processes.
Secció de Fisiologia, Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.|Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Elisabet
E
Augé
Secció de Fisiologia, Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.|Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Itsaso
I
Cabezón
Secció de Fisiologia, Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.|Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|CIBERNED Centros de Biomedicina en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Spain.
Carme
C
Pelegrí
Secció de Fisiologia, Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.|Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|CIBERNED Centros de Biomedicina en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Spain.
Jordi
J
Vilaplana
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011485:Protein Binding; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000939:Epitopes; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016875:tau Proteins