Characterization of beta amyloid assemblies in drusen: the deposits associated with aging and age-related macular degeneration
Anderson DH, Talaga KC, Rivest AJ, Barron E, Hageman GS, Johnson LV.. Experimental eye research, 2004-02-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Purpose Recent studies strongly suggest that drusen, the extracellular deposits associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are a manifestation of local inflammatory events. New evidence indicates that substructural elements within drusen contain activated complement components as well as amyloid beta (Abeta), a major pro-inflammatory component of Alzheimer's disease plaques. We characterized the ultrastructural organization and histochemical staining properties of these Abeta-containing elements in order to further assess their significance in drusen formation and AMD pathogenesis. Methods We used differential interference contrast optics, laser scanning confocal immunofluorescence, and immunogold electron microscopy to characterize the structural properties and molecular composition of Abeta-containing elements in drusen. We obtained estimates of their frequency from montages of electron micrographs gathered from 152 human donor eyes ranging from 9 to 91 years of age. Results Spherical Abeta-containing elements, which are typically organized as concentric ring-like structures, are common substructural components of drusen. They stain with thioflavin T, but are not stained by Congo red; nor do they bind cationic, lipophilic, or nucleic acid-binding fluorescent dyes. Ultrastructurally, they are composed of a central core, one or more concentric inner rings with intervening electron lucent layers, and an electron dense outer shell. Immunogold labeling indicates that most Abeta immunoreactivity is associated with the outer layers that consist of densely-packed spherical subunits. No longitudinally-oriented fibril arrays, characteristic of aggregated amyloid fibrils in the brain, are evident. Other prominent drusen-associated proteins including the terminal complement complex C5b-9, vitronectin, apolipoprotein E, serum amyloid P component, and ubiquitin are excluded from the spheres.Conclusions. These structures embedded in drusen appear to represent a new type of macromolecular assembly that contains Abeta as well as activated complement components. The presence of Abeta in these extracellular deposits is an additional indication that some of the pathogenic pathways that give rise to drusen and AMD may be shared with other neurodegenerative diseases characterized by misfolded protein deposition and aggregation.
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APA 7th
Anderson, D. H., Talaga, K. C., Rivest, A. J., Barron, E., Hageman, G. S., & Johnson, L. V. (2004). Characterization of beta amyloid assemblies in drusen: the deposits associated with aging and age-related macular degeneration. Experimental eye research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2003.10.011
Vancouver
Anderson DH, Talaga KC, Rivest AJ, Barron E, Hageman GS, Johnson LV. Characterization of beta amyloid assemblies in drusen: the deposits associated with aging and age-related macular degeneration. Experimental eye research. 2004. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2003.10.011. PMID: 14729357.
BibTeX
@article{anderson2004-14729357,
author = {Anderson, D. H. and Talaga, K. C. and Rivest, A. J. and Barron, E. and Hageman, G. S. and Johnson, L. V.},
title = {{Characterization of beta amyloid assemblies in drusen: the deposits associated with aging and age-related macular degeneration}},
journal = {Experimental eye research},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1016/j.exer.2003.10.011},
pmid = {14729357},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2003.10.011}
}
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Key findings
- Purpose Recent studies strongly suggest that drusen, the extracellular deposits associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are a manifestation of local inflammatory events.
- New evidence indicates that substructural elements within drusen contain activated complement components as well as amyloid beta (Abeta), a major pro-inflammatory component of Alzheimer's disease plaques.
- Results Spherical Abeta-containing elements, which are typically organized as concentric ring-like structures, are common substructural components of drusen.
- Immunogold labeling indicates that most Abeta immunoreactivity is associated with the outer layers that consist of densely-packed spherical subunits.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 36 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Experimental eye research) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 2004 — 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 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 14729357) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 21 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 36 out of 100. |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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