Transglutaminases and transglutaminase-catalyzed cross-links colocalize with the pathological lesions in Alzheimer's disease brain

Brain Pathol. 2009 Oct;19(4):612-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2008.00197.x. Epub 2008 Jul 31.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by pathological lesions, in particular senile plaques (SPs), cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), predominantly consisting of self-aggregated proteins amyloid beta (Abeta) and tau, respectively. Transglutaminases (TGs) are inducible enzymes, capable of modifying conformational and/or structural properties of proteins by inducing molecular covalent cross-links. Both Abeta and tau are substrates for TG cross-linking activity, which links TGs to the aggregation process of both proteins in AD brain. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of transglutaminase 1 (TG1), transglutaminase 2 (TG2) and TG-catalyzed cross-links with the pathological lesions of AD using immunohistochemistry. We observed immunoreactivity for TG1, TG2 and TG-catalyzed cross-links in NFTs. In addition, both TG2 and TG-catalyzed cross-links colocalized with Abeta in SPs. Furthermore, both TG2 and TG-catalyzed cross-links were associated with CAA. We conclude that these TGs demonstrate cross-linking activity in AD lesions, which suggests that both TG1 and TG2 are likely involved in the protein aggregation processes underlying the formation of SPs, CAA and/or NFTs in AD brain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / complications
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / complications
  • Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / metabolism
  • Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / pathology
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neocortex / metabolism*
  • Neocortex / pathology*
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / metabolism*
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / pathology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Phosphorylation
  • Plaque, Amyloid / metabolism*
  • Plaque, Amyloid / pathology
  • Transglutaminases / metabolism*
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • tau Proteins
  • Transglutaminases