Cerebral extracellular preamyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome and nondemented elderly individuals

Prog Clin Biol Res. 1989:317:1001-5.

Abstract

Using anti-SP28 (a polyclonal antibody to a 28 residue synthetic peptide homologous to the NH2-terminal region of Alzheimer amyloid beta-protein) to investigate the cerebral cortex of 8 Alzheimer and 6 Down patients and 13 nondemented individuals, we found that, besides senile plaques and congophilic vessels, extracellular deposits unrelated to degenerating neurites, tangle-bearing neurons or congophilic vessels were labelled. These deposits were observed in all Alzheimer and 4 Down patients, and in 5 nondemented individuals. The material accumulated in these deposits did not react with Congo red, thioflavine S or, on some occasions, silver salts and therefore might have been constituted by beta-protein and/or beta-protein precursors lacking the conformation of amyloid fibrils.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Amyloid / metabolism*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Amyloidosis / metabolism*
  • Amyloidosis / pathology
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism*
  • Cerebral Cortex / pathology
  • Down Syndrome / metabolism*
  • Down Syndrome / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Neurofibrils / metabolism*
  • Protein Precursors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Protein Precursors