INCREASED EXPRESSION OF THE TIAR PROTEIN IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS OF ALZHEIMER PATIENTS

T-CELL restricted intracellular antigen related protein (TIAR) is an R NA-binding protein that is supposed to be involved in the process of s tress-induced apoptosis. TIAR triggers DNA fragmentation in permeabili zed thymocytes and its expression diminishes in the cell nucleus and r ises simultaneously in the cytoplasm during Fas-induced cell death. Us ing a monoclonal antibody against TIAR, we stained different areas of the hippocampus from seven controls and 14 patients with Alzheimer's d isease (AD). There was a clear expression of TIAR in the hippocampus o f non-demented controls. Surprisingly, a significant increase was foun d in the expression of TIAR in the hippocampal area in AD. The increas ed expression of TIAR in AD may be related to the process of neurodege neration in the hippocampus. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.