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Ammonia induced decrease in glial fibrillary acidic protein in cultured astrocytes
Norenberg MD, Neary JT, Norenberg LO, McCarthy M.. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 1990-07-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Previous studies of human hepatic encephalopathy (HE) have shown decreased levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in Alzheimer type II astrocytes. In view of the important role of ammonia in the pathogenesis of HE, we carried out immunocytochemical and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) studies on the effect of ammonium chloride (10 mM) on GFAP content in primary astrocyte cultures. There was a 39% loss of GFAP after a four day treatment. There was no fall in total cell protein. Potential mechanisms for this apparent selective loss of GFAP are discussed.
Key findings
- Previous studies of human hepatic encephalopathy (HE) have shown decreased levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in Alzheimer type II astrocytes.
- In view of the important role of ammonia in the pathogenesis of HE, we carried out immunocytochemical and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) studies on the effect of ammonium chloride (10 mM) on GFAP content in primary astrocyte cultures.
- There was a 39% loss of GFAP after a four day treatment.
- Potential mechanisms for this apparent selective loss of GFAP are discussed.
Why it matters
Treating rat astrocyte cultures with ammonium chloride for four days caused a 39% loss of GFAP without a fall in total cell protein. This is an early cell-culture finding about a protein change seen in Alzheimer type II astrocytes, not a treatment or prevention result.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology: journal h-index 239 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1990 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “cultured”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 75 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 38 year(s) since 1990 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Michelin McCarthy holds only 1 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Miami: institution h-index 998 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 2163437) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 36 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Norenberg, M. D., Neary, J. T., Norenberg, L. O., & McCarthy, M. (1990). Ammonia induced decrease in glial fibrillary acidic protein in cultured astrocytes. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199007000-00004
Vancouver
Norenberg MD, Neary JT, Norenberg LO, McCarthy M. Ammonia induced decrease in glial fibrillary acidic protein in cultured astrocytes. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 1990. doi:10.1097/00005072-199007000-00004. PMID: 2163437.
BibTeX
@article{norenberg1990-2163437,
author = {Norenberg, M. D. and Neary, J. T. and Norenberg, L. O. and McCarthy, M.},
title = {{Ammonia induced decrease in glial fibrillary acidic protein in cultured astrocytes}},
journal = {Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology},
year = {1990},
doi = {10.1097/00005072-199007000-00004},
pmid = {2163437},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199007000-00004}
}
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.