Human neurons generate C-reactive protein and amyloid P: upregulation in Alzheimer's disease

C-reactive protein (CRP) and amyloid P (AP) are pentraxins which are associ ated with many pathological lesions, including the amyloid deposits and neu rofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of Alzheimer disease (AD). It has always been a ssumed that they are generated by liver and delivered to their sites of act ion by serum. Here we report by in situ hydridization, reverse transcriptas e-polymerase chain reaction analysis, Western blotting and immunohistochemi stry that the mRNAs and proteins of both CRP and AP are concentrated in pyr amidal neurons and are upregulated in affected areas of AD brain. Controlli ng pentraxin production at the tissue level may be important in reducing in flammatory damage in AD. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.