Abstract
An increasing number of proteins are implicated in apoptosis and several of them have been shown to be altered in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. Because of this apoptosis is thought to be the underlying mechanism of neuronal cell loss in AD. To further substantiate this hypothesis we investigated the expression of a recently identified apoptosis related proteins and other apoptosis regulators in frontal cortex and cerebellum of AD by Western blot and enzyme-linked immunsorbent assay technique. Quantitative analysis revealed unaltered levels of Bax and RAIDD (Receptor interacting protein associated ICH-1 (caspase-2)/CED-3 (Caenorhabditis elegans death protease-3)-homologous protein with death domain) in both regions. ZIP (Zipper interacting protein) kinase, Bim/BOD (Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death/Bcl-2 related ovarian death gene) and p21 were significantly increased only in AD frontal cortex (P < 0.05, in all cases). Cerebellar Bcl-2 levels were significantly increased in AD (P < 0.01) while in AD frontal cortex, although the levels tended to increase did not reach significance level. The results indicate that apoptosis indeed account for the neuronal loss in AD. However, it does not seem to involve Bax and RAIDD.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
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Alzheimer Disease / pathology
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Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
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Apoptosis / physiology*
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
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Bcl-2-Like Protein 11
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Blotting, Western
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Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
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Carrier Proteins / metabolism
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Cerebellum / metabolism*
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Cerebellum / pathology
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Cerebellum / physiopathology
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Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
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Cyclins / metabolism
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Death-Associated Protein Kinases
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Female
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Frontal Lobe / metabolism*
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Frontal Lobe / pathology
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Frontal Lobe / physiopathology
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Humans
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Male
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Membrane Proteins*
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Middle Aged
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Nerve Degeneration / metabolism*
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Nerve Degeneration / pathology
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Nerve Degeneration / physiopathology
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
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Neurons / metabolism*
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Neurons / pathology
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
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bcl-2-Associated X Protein
Substances
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
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BAX protein, human
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BCL2L11 protein, human
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Bcl-2-Like Protein 11
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CDKN1A protein, human
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Carrier Proteins
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Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
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Cyclins
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
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bcl-2-Associated X Protein
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Death-Associated Protein Kinases
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases