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A cDNA Encodes Epitopes Shared Between Microtubule-Associated Protein MAP2 and Alzheimer Neurofibrillary Tangles: In Situ Hybridization and Immunocytochemistry

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Biological Markers of Alzheimer’s Disease

Part of the book series: Research and Perspectives in Alzheimer’s Disease ((ALZHEIMER))

Summary

Neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease are composed of abnormal filaments whose biochemical composition is partly resolved. Cytoskeletal proteins are major components of these abnormal fibers, the microtubule-associated protein tau being the main constituent demonstrated in neurofibrillary tangles. Other cytoskeletal proteins or fragments of them which have been immunologically detected in tangles are the microtubule-associated protein MAP2 and neurofilament 150- and 200-kDa polypeptides. We have isolated a cDNA encoding epitope shared between MAP2 and neurofibrillary tangles, as demonstrated by immunocytochemistry with an antiserum raised against a fusion protein. In situ hybridization with this cDNA on tissue sections of the hippocampus in Alzheimer’s disease did not show increases in the hybridization signal in tangle-bearing neurons. These results suggest that the accumulation of MAP2 immunoreactivity in neurofibrillary tangles is not directly related to an overex-pression of this protein. This also strengthens the hypothesis implicating post-translational modifications of cytoskeletal proteins as mechanisms of neurofibrillary tangles formation.

This work was supported by grants from the Belgian FNRS, FRFC, and FRSM (numbers 96048082, 90548082, 90148082), NATO, The Wellcome Trust, and the MRC.

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Authors
  1. J. P. Brion
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  2. A. M. Couck
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  3. M. E. Cheetham
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  4. D. Hanger
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  5. B. H. Anderton
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  6. J. Flament-Durand
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inserm U324, 2 ter, rue d’Alesia, 75014, Paris, France

    François Boller

  2. University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, USA

    Robert Katzman

  3. Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse, France

    André Rascol

  4. Hôpital Salpêtrière, Paris, France

    Jean-Louis Signoret

  5. Fondation IPSEN pour la Recherche Thérapeutique, 30, rue Cambronne, F-75737, Paris Cédex, France

    Yves Christen

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Brion, J.P., Couck, A.M., Cheetham, M.E., Hanger, D., Anderton, B.H., Flament-Durand, J. (1989). A cDNA Encodes Epitopes Shared Between Microtubule-Associated Protein MAP2 and Alzheimer Neurofibrillary Tangles: In Situ Hybridization and Immunocytochemistry. In: Boller, F., Katzman, R., Rascol, A., Signoret, JL., Christen, Y. (eds) Biological Markers of Alzheimer’s Disease. Research and Perspectives in Alzheimer’s Disease. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46690-8_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46690-8_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-46692-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-46690-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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