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Glial fibrillary tangles in diffuse neurofibrillary tangles with calcification

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Abstract

In the present study the occurrence and distribution of glial fibrillary tangles (GFT) and their related structures in diffuse neurofibrillary tangles with calcification (DNTC) were investigated using Gallyas-Braak (GB) stain. Six cases neuropathologically diagnosed as DNTC were studied (two males and four females). The age at death ranged from 56 to 73 years, with an average of 63.5±7.5 years. GFT were classified morphologically, and their immunoreactivites for tau and ubiquitin were examined. Glial cells with GFT were identified with astrocytes and oligodendrocytes by immunostain for glial fibrillary acidic protein and transferrin, respectively. A small number of coiled bodies detected within the oligodendrocytes in the white matter of the cerebrum were positive for tau and ubiquitin. Cell clusters of thorn-shaped astrocytes were detected in the subcortical and subpial regions where gliosis occurred. Thorn-shaped astrocytes were positive for tau, but negative for ubiquitin. A small number of tuft-shaped astrocytes detected prominently in the temporal cortex and amygdala with numerous neurofibrillary tangles were positive for tau and ubiquitin. All three types of GFT were detected, especially in the temporal and limbic lobes, which were the most severely affected sites in DNTC. Moreover, various-shaped neurofibrillary tangles, aggregated rods and some argyrophilic threads were differentiated from GFT. They were positive for GB, but not detected within the glial cells.

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Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank Prof. Y. Ihara, Institute of Brain Research, Tokyo University, for generously providing the polyclonal antibody against human tau protein.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Imaise Branch, Ichinomiya Municipal Hospital, 30 Gochuchawara Miyaushiro Imaise, Ichinomiya, 491-0057, Aichi, Japan

    Naoki Hashimoto

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan

    Tohru Takeuchi, Ryoko Ishihara, Katsuyuki Ukai, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Hiromu Iwata, Kiyoshi Iwai, Yutaka Mizuno & Hiroto Shibayama

  3. Gunma University School of Health Sciences, Gunma, Japan

    Haruyasu Yamaguchi

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  1. Naoki Hashimoto
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  2. Tohru Takeuchi
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Correspondence to Naoki Hashimoto.

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Hashimoto, N., Takeuchi, T., Ishihara, R. et al. Glial fibrillary tangles in diffuse neurofibrillary tangles with calcification. Acta Neuropathol 106, 150–156 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-003-0715-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-003-0715-0

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