PRESENILIN-1 IMMUNOSTAINING USING WELL-CHARACTERIZED ANTIBODIES IN HUMAN TISSUES

Using well-characterized monoclonal antibodies which recognize the N-t erminus of presenilin 1 (PS1), we examined by immunohistochemistry bra in tissues from patients with nonneurological conditions, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral infarction, as well as normal human liver ti ssues. The antibodies to PS1 did not reveal any positive staining in n onneurological conditions. In AD, the antibody showed positive stainin g of intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles and neuropil threads. In ce rebral infarcts, some macrophages were positively stained. In contrast to the C-terminal fragment of PS1, which has been claimed to be prese nt in senile plaques, the N-terminal fragment binds to intracellular a nd intradendritic pathological structures and may play a role in tau p hosphorylation in AD. (C) 1997 Academic Press.