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Non-fibrillar beta-amyloid protein is associated with smooth muscle cells of vessel walls in Alzheimer disease
Frackowiak J, Zoltowska A, Wisniewski HM.. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 1994-11-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Meningeal blood vessels were studied in Alzheimer disease (AD) and control brain specimens obtained from autopsies within 16 hours after death. Serial sections were stained with thioflavine S and Congo red and immunostained for the presence of beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta PP) and beta-protein and for smooth muscle-specific proteins myosin, alpha-actin, and desmin. Isolated blood vessels were studied by immunoblotting for the presence of beta PP, fragments of beta PP, and beta-protein.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Frackowiak, J., Zoltowska, A., & Wisniewski, H. M. (1994). Non-fibrillar beta-amyloid protein is associated with smooth muscle cells of vessel walls in Alzheimer disease. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199411000-00011
Vancouver
Frackowiak J, Zoltowska A, Wisniewski HM. Non-fibrillar beta-amyloid protein is associated with smooth muscle cells of vessel walls in Alzheimer disease. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 1994. doi:10.1097/00005072-199411000-00011. PMID: 7964904.
BibTeX
@article{frackowiak1994-7964904,
author = {Frackowiak, J. and Zoltowska, A. and Wisniewski, H. M.},
title = {{Non-fibrillar beta-amyloid protein is associated with smooth muscle cells of vessel walls in Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology},
year = {1994},
doi = {10.1097/00005072-199411000-00011},
pmid = {7964904},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199411000-00011}
}
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Key findings
- Serial sections were stained with thioflavine S and Congo red and immunostained for the presence of beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta PP) and beta-protein and for smooth muscle-specific proteins myosin, alpha-actin, and desmin.
- Isolated blood vessels were studied by immunoblotting for the presence of beta PP, fragments of beta PP, and beta-protein.
- The arteries that were strongly immunopositive for beta-protein in all layers of the walls were also positive for amyloid fibrils on thioflavine S and Congo red stainings.
- The focal immunostaining for beta-protein in less affected vessels was located in the tunica media in the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells or formed granules between myocytes.
Why it matters
This autopsy study found non-fibrillar beta-amyloid protein associated with smooth muscle cells of vessel walls in Alzheimer's disease. It describes vessel pathology but does not test or establish any treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
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 (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 | 1994 — 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 128 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.8 citations a year over 34 year(s) since 1994 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Henryk M. Wı́sniewski: h-index 76 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Gdańsk Medical University: institution h-index 365 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 7964904) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
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