Neuronal apoptosis in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

摘要: Neuronal loss is a salient feature of prion diseases; however, its causes and mechanisms are unclear. The possibility that it could occur through an apoptotic process has been postulated consistent with the lack inflammation in disorders as supported by experimental studies. In order to test this hypothesis humans, we examined samples frontal temporal cerebral cortex, striatum, thalamus, cerebellum from 16 patients who died Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. They included 5 sporadic cases, familial, 3 iatrogenic, cases new variant. These were compared age sex matched controls. Using situ end labelling, identified neurons all A single labelled neuron was found eldest control. Apoptotic mostly damaged regions their presence abundance seemed correlate closely neuronal loss. This supports view apoptosis diseases may contribute which one main characteristics these conditions. also correlated well microglial activation, demonstrated expression major histocompatibility complex class II antigens, axonal damage, beta-amyloid protein precursor immunostaining. contrast, no obvious relationship between topography severity type, topography, deposits immunocytochemistry.