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Lysosomal proteinase antigens are prominently localized within senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease: evidence for a neuronal origin
Cataldo AM, Thayer CY, Bird ED, Wheelock TR, Nixon RA.. Brain research, 1990-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
To investigate the role of proteolysis in amyloid formation, we studied the localization of the proteolytic enzymes, cathepsin D and cathepsin B, in the prefrontal cerebral cortex and hippocampus of human postmortem brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease and from individuals free of neurological disease. In control and Alzheimer brains, cathepsin immunoreactivity within cells was localized to lysosome-related structures, which were particularly abundant in neuronal perikarya. In Alzheimer brain, cathepsin immunoreactivity was also heavily concentrated extracellularly within senile plaques.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Cataldo, A. M., Thayer, C. Y., Bird, E. D., Wheelock, T. R., & Nixon, R. A. (1990). Lysosomal proteinase antigens are prominently localized within senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease: evidence for a neuronal origin. Brain research. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(90)90456-l
Vancouver
Cataldo AM, Thayer CY, Bird ED, Wheelock TR, Nixon RA. Lysosomal proteinase antigens are prominently localized within senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease: evidence for a neuronal origin. Brain research. 1990. doi:10.1016/0006-8993(90)90456-l. PMID: 2350688.
BibTeX
@article{cataldo1990-2350688,
author = {Cataldo, A. M. and Thayer, C. Y. and Bird, E. D. and Wheelock, T. R. and Nixon, R. A.},
title = {{Lysosomal proteinase antigens are prominently localized within senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease: evidence for a neuronal origin}},
journal = {Brain research},
year = {1990},
doi = {10.1016/0006-8993(90)90456-l},
pmid = {2350688},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(90)90456-l}
}
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Key findings
- In control and Alzheimer brains, cathepsin immunoreactivity within cells was localized to lysosome-related structures, which were particularly abundant in neuronal perikarya.
- In Alzheimer brain, cathepsin immunoreactivity was also heavily concentrated extracellularly within senile plaques.
- Cathepsin immunoreactivity associated with plaques was not confined to lysosomes and was distributed throughout the plaque.
- Isolated amyloid cores, however, were not immunostained.
Why it matters
This postmortem brain study found cathepsin D and cathepsin B concentrated within senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a neuronal origin. It is observational tissue analysis and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Brain research) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Brain Research: journal h-index 399 (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 | 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 178 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.7 citations a year over 38 year(s) since 1990 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Ralph A. Nixon: h-index 115 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 2350688) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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