Mitotic epitopes are incorporated into age-dependent neurofibrillary tangles in Niemann-Pick disease type C

Brain Pathol. 2010 Mar;20(2):367-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2009.00286.x. Epub 2009 May 20.

Abstract

The mechanism underlying neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders remains elusive. Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is a kind of genetic neurovisceral disorder in which the intracellular sequestration of cholesterol and other lipids in neurons, NFT formation and neuronal degeneration in brain are the neuropathology hallmarks. The age of onset and progression of the disease vary dramatically. We have analyzed the hippocampus from 17 NPC cases, aged from 7 months to 55 years, to depict the temporal characteristics of NFT formation. Unexpectedly, classic NFT was observed in about 4-year-old NPC brain, suggesting that NFT is not aging dependent, and that juvenile brain neurons satisfy the requirements for NFT formation. NFT in the hippocampus of NPC was significantly increased in number with the advance of age. More importantly, multiple mitotic phase markers, which are not usually found in normal mature neurons, were abundant in the affected neurons and incorporated into NFT. The unusual activation of cdc2/cyclin B kinase and downstream mitotic indices are closely associated with the age-dependent NFT formation, signifying the contribution of abortive cell cycle to neurodegeneration. The cdc2 inhibitors may be therapeutically used for early intervention of neurodegeneration and NFT formation in NPC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aging / metabolism*
  • Aging / pathology
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cyclin B / metabolism
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases
  • Epitopes / metabolism*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism*
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitosis / physiology*
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / metabolism*
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / pathology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C / metabolism*
  • Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C / pathology
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Cyclin B
  • Epitopes
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • CDK1 protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases