Deficient ferritin immunoreactivity in tissues from Niemann-Pick type C patients: Extension of findings to fetal tissues, H and L ferritin isoforms, but also one case of the rare Niemann-Pick C2 complementation group
H. Christomanou et al., Deficient ferritin immunoreactivity in tissues from Niemann-Pick type C patients: Extension of findings to fetal tissues, H and L ferritin isoforms, but also one case of the rare Niemann-Pick C2 complementation group, MOL GEN MET, 70(3), 2000, pp. 196-202
Previous studies employing rabbit polyclonal anti-human liver ferritin have
shown an absence of L ferritin immunoreactivity in liver and spleen tissue
from patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1). The great majority
of NPC cases is caused by defects of the NPC1 gene, and a minority by thos
e of another (NPC2). In this study using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodi
es we show the deficiency of H and L ferritin isoforms in various NPC tissu
es, including fetal NPC1, not previously described. In particular, evidence
is provided for deficiency in H and L ferritins in tissues, except lung, f
rom a patient with Niemann-Pick disease type Ca (NPC2). The present finding
s indicate that H and L ferritins are deficient in both NPC types character
ized by accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and additional metabolites
in the endosomal/lysosomal system. We hypothesize that the lesions in NPC1
and NPC2 block the intracellular utilization not only of cholesterol, but
also that of iron for the synthesis of cytosolic ferritin. (C) 2000 Academi
c Press.