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. 1997 Aug;151(2):611–620.

Pathological characterization of astrocytic hyaline inclusions in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

S Kato 1, H Hayashi 1, K Nakashima 1, E Nanba 1, M Kato 1, A Hirano 1, I Nakano 1, K Asayama 1, E Ohama 1
PMCID: PMC1857998  PMID: 9273821

Abstract

To clarify the pathological characteristics of astrocytic hyaline inclusions (Ast-HIs) in patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) with neuronal Lewy-body-like hyaline inclusions (LBHIs), eight autopsies on members of four different families, including two long-term surviving patients with clinical courses of over 10 years, were analyzed. Ast-HIs were found only in the two long-term surviving patients who belonged to different families and to different races. Ast-HIs were ultrastructurally composed of 15- to 25-nm granule-coated fibrils that had immunoreactivities to superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and ubiquitin. Approximately 50% of the Ast-HIs expressed alpha B-crystallin, metallothionein, glutamine synthetase, and tubulin (alpha and beta) at various intensities. Some Ast-HIs reacted with antibodies to tau protein, S-100 protein, and heat shock protein 27. The Ast-HIs were not stained for glial fibrillary acidic protein. Our results suggest a cooperative role of superoxide dismutase 1, ubiquitin, and cytoskeletal proteins in the formation of granule-coated fibrils (namely, Ast-HIs) and provide evidence that Ast-HIs are formed in certain long-surviving familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with neuronal Lewy-body-like hyaline inclusions.

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