M. Nishimura et al., SYNAPTOPHYSIN AND CHROMOGRANIN-A IMMUNOREACTIVITIES OF LEWY BODIES INPARKINSONS-DISEASE BRAINS, Brain research, 634(2), 1994, pp. 339-344
Lewy bodies commonly observed in brains with Parkinson's disease (PD)
histochemically contain both protein and lipid as chemical components.
Ultrastructurally, they are composed of filamentous, vesicular and gr
anular structures. We investigated PD brains with light and electron m
icroscopic immunohistochemistry using antibodies against two marker pr
oteins for neuronal secretory vesicles, synaptophysin and chromogranin
A. Both antibodies immunolabeled the peripheral zones and occasionall
y central cores of Lewy bodies of the classical and intraneuritic type
s. In addition, the diffuse immunolabeling was observed in Lewy bodies
of the cortical type. Furthermore, the ultrastructural immune-decorat
ion was found mainly in the vesicular structures, and also in the fila
mentous and granular structures of Lewy bodies. Immune-blot analysis o
f each antibody showed no difference between PD and normal control bra
ins. The present observations suggest that vesicular profiles of Lewy
bodies represent presynaptic and dense core secretory vesicles, and th
erefore that the lipid elements of Lewy bodies are derived from membra
ne lipids of these vesicles.