The postmortem Alzheimer brain is a source of structurally and functionally intact astrocytic messenger RNA

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Although the precise role of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently undefined, studies carried out at the molecular level may lead to new insights into the functioning of this class of brain cells in dementia. In order to facilitate such investigations, methods are described that establish that structurally and functionally intact messenger RNA (mRNA) for an astrocytic marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), is present in the postmortem Alzheimer's disease brain after long postmortem intervals. Rapid preparative procedures were used to obtain poly(A)+ RNA from postmortem control and AD cortices. In vitro protein synthesis was carried out in a reticulocyte system. Relative to controls, AD mRNA synthesized a two-fold higher level of a 50,000 mol.wt. protein that was immunologically identified as GFAP. High levels of GFAP synthesis by purified mRNA from AD cortices was independent of age at death and postmortem interval up to 24 h. Northern blot hybridization using a cloned human GFAP riboprobe was used to evaluate postmortem GFAP mRNA stability. No appreciable degradation products of GFAP mRNA were observed on Northern blots for at least 10 h postmortem in poly(A)+ RNA extracted from the AD brain. The described methodology demonstrates that the postmortem AD brain is an excellent source of functionally and structurally intact astrocyte-specific mRNA.

Key findings

• Relative to controls, AD mRNA synthesized a two-fold higher level of a 50,000 mol.wt. protein that was immunologically identified as GFAP.
• High levels of GFAP synthesis by purified mRNA from AD cortices was independent of age at death and postmortem interval up to 24 h.
• Northern blot hybridization using a cloned human GFAP riboprobe was used to evaluate postmortem GFAP mRNA stability.
• No appreciable degradation products of GFAP mRNA were observed on Northern blots for at least 10 h postmortem in poly(A)+ RNA extracted from the AD brain.
• The described methodology demonstrates that the postmortem AD brain is an excellent source of functionally and structurally intact astrocyte-specific mRNA.

Why it matters

This study describes a lab method showing that messenger RNA for the astrocyte marker GFAP stays intact in brain tissue after death in Alzheimer's disease. It is a methods paper about tissue handling and provides no information about treating, curing, or preventing the disease.

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Study details

• Evidence strengthLow

Read the original

• DOI: 10.1016/0165-0270(88)90189-6
• PubMed: 3357357
• Original source →

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.

@article{sajdelsulkowska1988-3357357,
  author  = {Sajdel-Sulkowska, E. M. and Majocha, R. E. and Salim, M. and Zain, S. B. and Marotta, C. A.},
  title   = {{The postmortem Alzheimer brain is a source of structurally and functionally intact astrocytic messenger RNA}},
  journal = {Journal of neuroscience methods},
  year    = {1988},
  doi     = {10.1016/0165-0270(88)90189-6},
  pmid    = {3357357},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0270(88)90189-6}
}

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