ePrints

alpha-Internexin aggregates are abundant in neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease (NIFID) but rare in other neurodegenerative diseases

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Evelyn Jaros, Emeritus Professor Robert Perry

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

Abnormal neuronal aggregates of alpha-internexin and the three neurofilament (NF) subunits, NF-L, NF-M, and NF-H have recently been identified as the pathological hallmarks of neuronal intermediate filament (IF) inclusion disease (NIFID), a novel neurological disease of early onset with a variable clinical phenotype including frontotemporal dementia, pyramidal and extrapyramidal signs. alpha-Internexin, a class IV IF protein, a major component of inclusions in NIFID, has not previously been identified as a component of the pathological protein aggregates of any other neurodegenerative disease. Therefore, to determine the specificity of this protein, alpha-internexin immunohistochemistry was undertaken on cases of NIFID, non-tau frontotemporal dementias, motor neuron disease, alpha-synucleinopathies, tauopathies, and normal aged control brains. Our results indicate that class IV IF proteins are present within the pleomorphic inclusions of all cases of NIFID. Small subsets of abnormal neuronal inclusions in Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body diseases, and motor neuron disease also contain epitopes of alpha-internexin. Thus, alpha-internexin is a major component of the neuronal inclusions in NIFID and a relatively minor component of inclusions in other neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery of alpha-internexin in neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions implicates novel mechanisms of pathogenesis in NIFID and other neurological diseases with pathological filamentous neuronal inclusions.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Cairns NJ, Uryu K, Bigio EH, Mackenzie IRA, Gearing M, Duyckaerts C, Yokoo H, Nakazato Y, Jaros E, Perry RH, Arnold SE, Lee VMY, Trojanowski JQ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Acta Neuropathologica

Year: 2004

Volume: 108

Issue: 3

Pages: 213-223

ISSN (print): 0001-6322

ISSN (electronic): 1432-0533

Publisher: Springer

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00401-004-0882-7

DOI: 10.1007/s00401-004-0882-7

Altmetrics

Funding

Share