HUMAN-DISEASES WITH DEFECTS IN OXIDATIVE-PHOSPHORYLATION .2. F1F0 ATP-SYNTHASE DEFECTS IN ALZHEIMER-DISEASE REVEALED BY BLUE NATIVE POLYACRYLAMIDE-GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

F1F0 ATP-synthase (complex V) deficiencies in Alzheimer's disease are reported. Tissue specimens from the hippocampus of brains from patient s with Alzheimer's disease were screened by blue native electrophoresi s for alterations of the proteins of oxidative phosphorylation. Ubiqui nol:cytochrome-c reductase (complex III) and cytochrome-c oxidase (com plex IV) were found to be present at almost normal concentrations, how ever, complex V was substantially reduced in most cases studied. The s pecific reduction of complex V and the absence of electrophoretically detectable degradation products do not exclude a secondary defect of c omplex V, but should stimulate the search for genetic defects related to protein subunits of complex V.