Extracellular neurofibrillary tangles are immunopositive for the 40 carboxy-terminal sequence of beta-amyloid protein

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) form in a number of neurodegenerative disorders. In Alzheimer disease (AD), intracellular NFTs (iNFTs) develop along with extracellular beta-amyloid (Abeta) deposits. Reports on whether NFTs have Abeta associated with them are inconsistent. Here we study NFTs and their direct relationship with Abeta-like fragments in cases of AD, Down Syndrome, and the parkinsonism-dementia complex of Guam, using a panel of antibodies which recognize different epitopes of Abeta. In all diseases, as well as in the aged controls, the majority of extracellular NFTs (eNFTs) are stained with antibodies recognizing the 40 carboxy-terminal of Abeta, but not other epitopes. Such staining is morphologically distinguishable from the previously described Abeta positive 'tangle associated amyloid deposits' (TAADs), which surround some eNFTs, and are immunopositive for all epitopes of the Abeta molecule. Some iNFTs are immunoreactive with antibodies to the 42 carboxy-terminal epitope, and, to a lesser extent, with antibodies to midportions and more N-terminal epitopes of Abeta. These results may indicate a direct interaction between Abeta and NFTs, although secondary deposition or crossreactivity with other epitopes associated with NFTs cannot be ruled out.

@article{schwab1998-9862635,
  author  = {Schwab, C. and Akiyama, H. and McGeer, E. G. and McGeer, P. L.},
  title   = {{Extracellular neurofibrillary tangles are immunopositive for the 40 carboxy-terminal sequence of beta-amyloid protein}},
  journal = {Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology},
  year    = {1998},
  doi     = {10.1097/00005072-199812000-00004},
  pmid    = {9862635},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199812000-00004}
}

Key findings

• Reports on whether NFTs have Abeta associated with them are inconsistent.
• These results may indicate a direct interaction between Abeta and NFTs, although secondary deposition or crossreactivity with other epitopes associated with NFTs cannot be ruled out.

Why it matters

This tissue study found that most extracellular neurofibrillary tangles stained with antibodies to the 40 carboxy-terminal of beta-amyloid in Alzheimer disease, Down syndrome and Guam parkinsonism-dementia complex. The authors note the results may indicate a direct interaction between beta-amyloid and tangles, but secondary deposition or crossreactivity cannot be ruled out.

Study details

• Evidence strengthLow

Read the original

• DOI: 10.1097/00005072-199812000-00004
• PubMed: 9862635
• Original source →

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