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Expression of αB-crystallin in Alzheimer's disease

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Abstract

αB-crystallin is a member of the small heatshock protein family. Under pathological conditions, the expression of αB-crystallin increases in proliferating astrocytes, which suggests that this protein, in addition to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), can be a marker for gliosis in neurodegenerative diseases. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemical methods were used for the detection of αB-crystallin in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and nondemented controls. An increase in αB-cyrstallin expression was found in the brains of AD patients. Immunoreaction was present in reactive astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, indicating that all types of glia respond to the stress associated with AD pathology. Colocalization of GFAP and αB-crystallin was found in fibrous astrocytes. However, the intensity and range of αB-crystallin expression appeared to be limited as compared with the large increase in the number of GFAP-positive astrocytes. This indicates that expression of αB-crystallin is not a marker for gliosis in AD. Immunoreactivity to αB-crystallin in both astrocytes and microglia was found mainly restricted to areas with senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, suggesting the association of αB-crystallin with amyloid deposition in AD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neurology, Research Laboratory of Morphological Neurology, University of Nijmegen, P. O. Box 9101, NL-6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    K. Renkawek, C. E. M. Voorter, G. J. C. G. M. Bosman, F. P. A. van Workum & W. W. de Jong

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    K. Renkawek, C. E. M. Voorter, G. J. C. G. M. Bosman, F. P. A. van Workum & W. W. de Jong

Authors
  1. K. Renkawek
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  2. C. E. M. Voorter
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  3. G. J. C. G. M. Bosman
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  4. F. P. A. van Workum
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  5. W. W. de Jong
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Supported by a grant (No. EY08202) from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA

Supported by a fellowship of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

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Renkawek, K., Voorter, C.E.M., Bosman, G.J.C.G.M. et al. Expression of αB-crystallin in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 87, 155–160 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296185

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296185

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