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. 1991 Sep;139(3):589–598.

A comparative immunohistochemical study of Kuru and senile plaques with a special reference to glial reactions at various stages of amyloid plaque formation.

M Miyazono 1, T Iwaki 1, T Kitamoto 1, Y Kaneko 1, K Doh-ura 1, J Tateishi 1
PMCID: PMC1886224  PMID: 1679596

Abstract

The authors examined 10 patients with Gerstmann-Sträussler syndrome or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and 10 with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Immunohistochemistry using anti-prion protein (PrP) and anti-beta/A4 protein (beta/A4) coupled with formic acid pretreatment could detect Congophilic and non-Congophilic deposits. Prion protein deposits were classified into five types and compared with types of beta/A4 deposits. Kuru plaques with multicentric cores and fine granular deposits were a characteristic feature of PrP deposits. Some types of PrP or beta/A4 deposits depend on the anatomic sites. To clarify the relationship of microglia and astrocytes to PrP or beta/A4 deposits, double-immunostaining method was performed. In both kuru and senile plaques, microglia were closely linked to the Congophilic plaques. Astrocytes, however, extended their processes toward the plaques even in the non-Congophilic plaques. These observations strongly suggest that similar glial association with plaque formation may be involved in both kuru and senile plaques, although the amyloid core proteins differ.

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Selected References

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