Skip to main content
Log in

Paired helical filaments and the cytoplasmic-nuclear interface in Alzheimer's disease

  • Published:
Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

The cytoplasmic-nuclear interface has been investigated by conventional thin sectioning electron microscopy of neurons from frontal lobe biopsies of 13 patients with Alzheimer's disease. Nine patients were in the early and intermediate stages of the disease and four patients in the advanced stage. Fascicles of paired helical filament-like strands and paired helical filaments appose the nuclear envelope, the nuclear pore complexes and the perinuclear polysomes. Paired helical filament profiles have also been identified in the nucleoplasm. These observations indicate that the cytoplasmic-nuclear interface and, consequently, the relationships between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, might be impaired in Alzheimer's disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aebi, U., Cohn, J., Buhle, L. &Gerace, L. (1986) The nuclear lamina is a meshwork of intermediate-type filaments.Nature 323, 560–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alberts, B., Bray, D., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. &Watson, J. D. (1983) Molecular Biology of the Cell, pp. 429–35. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alzheimer, A. (1911) Ueber eigenartige Krankheitsfälle des späteren Alters.Zentralblatt für die gesamte Neurologie und Psychiatrie 4, 356–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barr, M. L. (1966) The significance of the sex chromatin.International Review of Cytology 19, 35–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bissell, M. J., Hall, H. G. &Parry, G. (1982) How does the extracellular matrix direct gene expression?Journal of Theoretical Biology 99, 31–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blobel, G. (1985) Gene gating: a hypothesis.Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 82, 8527–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curcio, C. A., McNelly, N. A. &Hinds, J. W. (1984) Intranuclear inclusions in rat piriform cortex: increase with age and preferential location within superficial layer II.Anatomical Record 210, 657–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, N. &Blobel, G. (1976) A modified procedure for the isolation of a pore complex-lamina fraction from rat liver nuclei,Journal of Cell Biology 70, 581–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellisman, M. H., Ranganathan, R., Deerinck, T. J., Young, S. J., Terry, R. &Mirra, S. (1986) Fibrillar cytoskeleton and endomembrane system organization in Alzheimer neurons.Journal of Cell Biology 103, 1979a, No. 295 (Abstract).

  • Gauthier, S., Leblanc, R., Quirion, R., Carlsson, G., Beaulieu, M., Bouchard, R., Dastoor, D., Ervin, F., Gauthier, L., Gauvin, M., Henry, J., Palmour, R. &Robitaille, Y. (1986) Transmitter-replacement therapy in Alzheimer's disease using intracerebroventricular infusions of receptor agonists.Canadian Journal of Neurological Science 13 (Suppl)4, 394–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Georgatos, S. D. &Blobel, G. (1987) Lamin B constitutes an intermediate filament attachment site at the nuclear envelope.Journal of Cell Biology 105, 117–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, R. D. (1971) The role of three cytoplasmic fibers in BHK-21 cell motility. I. Microtubules and the effects of colchicine.Journal of Cell Biology 51, 752–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, R., Goldman, A., Green, K., Jones, J., Lieska, N. &Yang, H.-Y. (1985) Intermediate filaments: possible functions as cytoskeletal connecting links between the nucleus and the cell surface. InIntermediate Filaments (edited byWang, E., Fischman, D., Liem, R. K. H. &Sun, T.-T.). Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 455, pp. 1–17. New York: New York Academy of Sciences.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, R. D., Goldman, A., Jones, J. &Parysek, L. (1986) The structure and function of intermediate filament networks in mammalian cells. InElectron Microscopy and Alzheimer's Disease (edited byMetuzals, J.) pp. 60–3. San Francisco: San Francisco Press, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haltia, M., Somer, H., Palo, J. &Johnson, W. G. (1984) Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease in identical twins.Annals of Neurology 15, 316–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoepke, H. (1951) Das Verhalten der Ganglienzellen im lobus electricus von Torpedo marmorata nach Durchschneidung des Rückenmarks.Pubblicazioni della Stazione Zoologica Napoli 23, 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, J. C. R., Goldman, A. E., Steinert, P. M., Yuspa, S. &Goldman, R. D. (1982) Dynamic aspects of the supramolecular organization of intermediate filament networks in cultured epidermal cells.Cell Motility 2, 197–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katsuma, Y., Swierenga, S. H. H., Marceau, N. &French, S. W. (1987) Connections of intermediate filaments with the nuclear lamina and the cell periphery.Biology of the Cell 59, 193–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, D. S. &Metuzals, J. (1974) Anchorage of cytoplasmic filaments to intramembrane particles in the plasma membrane and in the nuclear envelope: transduction of membrane receptor topography to the genome.Biological Bulletin 147, 488 (Abstract).

    Google Scholar 

  • Metuzals, J. &Mushynski, W. E. (1974) Electron microscope and experimental investigations of the neurofilamentous network in Deiter's neurons. Relationship with the cell surface and nuclear pores.Journal of Cell Biology 61, 701–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metuzals, J., Pant, H., Gainer, H., Eagles, P. A. M., White, N. S. &Houghton, S. (1988a) In vitro polymorphism and phase transitions of the neurofilamentous network isolated from the giant axon of the squid (Loligo pealeii L.)Cell and Tissue Research 252, 249–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metuzals, J., Robitaille, Y., Houghton, S., Gauthier, S., Kang, C. Y. &Leblanc, R. (1988b) Neuronal transformations in Alzheimer's disease.Cell and Tissue Research 252, 239–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metuzals, J., Robitaille, Y., Houghton, S., Gauthier, S. &Leblanc, R. (1988c) Transformation of the neurofilamentous network components into PHF-like strands and PHF paracrystals. InAlteration of the Neuronal Cytoskeleton in Agingand Dementia (edited byPerry, G. P.) pp. 75–95. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mirra, S. S., Wood, J. G., Pollock, N. J., Bakay, R. A., Binder, L. I. &Ellisman, M. H. (1987) New observations on the fine structure of Alzheimer's disease.American Association of Neuropathologists. 63rd Annual Meeting, No. 135 (Abstract).

  • Palo, J., Haltia, M., Carpenter, S., Karpati, G. &Mushynski, W. (1984) Neurofilament subunit-related proteins in neuronal intranuclear inclusions.Annals of Neurology 15, 322–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, A., Palay, S. L. &Webster, H. deF. (1976) The Fine Structure of the Nervous System: the Neurons and Supporting Cells pp. 51–61. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robitaille, Y., Metuzals, J., Houghton, S., Leblanc, R. &Gauthier, S. (1987) Disintegration of the blood brain barrier and peliosis in Alzheimer's disease.American Association of Neuropathologists. 63rd Annual Meeting, No. 195 (Abstract).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Metuzals, J., Robitaille, Y., Houghton, S. et al. Paired helical filaments and the cytoplasmic-nuclear interface in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurocytol 17, 827–833 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01216709

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01216709

Keywords

Navigation