Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P10636 (tau protein)
 5,110 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Seventy-one tumors of the central nervous system in children were studied immunohistologically. Thirty-seven were classified histologically as PNETs, of which 35 were located in the cerebellum (medulloblastomas), one in the cerebrum, and one in the spinal cord. The 34 non-PNETs included five ependymomas, seven gangliogliomas, 15 astrocytomas, and seven tumors of other histology. We used monoclonal antibodies specific for neurofilament (NF) triplet proteins, for microtubule associated protein 2 and tau protein and for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein. In addition, a monoclonal antibody to epithelial membrane antigen was applied. The presence or absence of these antigens defined four major groups of PNETs: 1) PNETs not otherwise specified (10 cases), 2) PNETs with neuronal differentiation (eight cases), 3) PNETs with astrocytic differentiation (six cases), and 4) PNETs with both neuronal and astrocytic differentiation (12 cases). One case showed ependymal differentiation. The pattern of expression of NF isoforms in PNETs was reminiscent of that seen during normal mammalian development, such that phosphorylated NF-H was only present in combination with NF-M and NF-L. Among the other central nervous system tumors, all astrocytomas and gangliogliomas were positive for GFAP, and the gangliogliomas also expressed all NF isoforms. Three atypical teratoid tumors and two rhabdoid tumors showed strong positivity for epithelial membrane antigen and also for GFAP. We conclude that the differentiation antigens described here serve to distinguish PNETs from other pediatric central nervous system tumors and to identify subsets of PNETs. Accordingly, PNETs represent a heterogeneous group of pediatric brain tumors capable of neuronal and glial differentiation.
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PMID:Molecular markers of primitive neuroectodermal tumors and other pediatric central nervous system tumors. Monoclonal antibodies to neuronal and glial antigens distinguish subsets of primitive neuroectodermal tumors. 255 87

The distribution and localization of neurofilament (NF) and microtubule-associated tau protein (Tau) in the colon from Hirschsprung's disease were examined by immunohistochemistry. Specimens of the normoganglionic, oligoganglionic, and aganglionic segments of colons from nine patients with Hirschsprung's disease were used in this study. Normal colon specimens obtained at the time of colostomy closure from two patients with anorectal malformations were also examined as controls. In normoganglionic segments, anti-NF-H and anti-NF-M immunoreactivity appeared within the nerve fibers of both the myenteric and submucosal plexuses. These findings were also observed in the oligoganglionic segments. In the aganglionic segment, hypertrophic nerve fascicules and the nerve fibers in circular muscle were positively stained with anti-NF-H and anti-NF-M antibodies. Anti-Tau staining appeared in the ganglion cell bodies of both myenteric and submucosal plexuses and in nerve fibers distributed among the circular muscles of the normal control colons, and the normoganglionic and oligoganglionic Hirschsprung's specimens. Nerve fibers in the circular muscle layer of aganglionic segments were also stained with anti-Tau serum, although the hypertrophic nerve fascicules in the intermuscular and submucosal layers did not stain. The so-called nerve fascicules distributed in the subserosal layer also did not stain with anti-Tau. These results suggest that Tau may be used as a specific marker to identify ganglion cells and intrinsic nerve fibers in colons affected by Hirschsprung's disease.
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PMID:An immunohistochemical study of neurofilament and microtubule-associated Tau protein in the enteric innervation in Hirschsprung's disease. 822 60

Neurofilaments are neuron-specific intermediate filaments. They are classed into three groups according to their molecular masses: neurofilament heavy, middle and light chains (NF-H, NF-M and NF-L). Neurofilaments assemble and form through the association of their central alpha-helical coiled-coil rod domains. NF-H and NF-M are distinct from NF-L as they contain a carboxyl-terminal tail domain, which appears to form connections with adjacent structures and other neurofilaments. Together with other axonal components such as microtubules, they form the dynamic axonal cytoskeleton. They maintain and regulate neuronal cytoskeletal plasticity through the regulation of neurite outgrowth, axonal caliber and axonal transport. Neurofilaments contain KSP repeats that are consensus motifs for the proline-directed kinases and are extensively phosphorylated in vivo, and their functions are thought to be regulated through their phosphorylation. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a proline-directed kinase, whose activity is restricted to the neuron through the neuronal-specific distribution of its activators p35 and p39. Cdk5 is the only kinase that affects the electrophoretic mobility of human NF-H and is thought to be the major neurofilament kinase. Cdk5 is involved in crosstalk with other signal transduction pathways such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase and myelin-associated glycoprotein pathways to influence the phosphorylation of neurofilaments and other cytoskeletal proteins. Both the hyperactivation of Cdk5 activity and subsequent hyperphosphorylation of neurofilaments and the microtubule-associated protein tau have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here we review the functions of neurofilaments and the significance of Cdk5 phosphorylation of neurofilaments.
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PMID:Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 in neurofilament function and regulation. 1467 12

Antibodies have different avidities that can be evaluated using modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques. We determined levels and avidities of antibodies to light (NFL) and medium (NFM) subunits of neurofilaments and tau protein in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 26 patients and anti-tau antibody levels and their avidities in 20 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. Each sample was analyzed using both standard ELISA and also using a similar ELISA protocol with the addition of urea. The avidities of anti-neurocytoskeletal antibodies were higher in the CSF than those in serum (anti-NFL, p < 0.0001; anti-tau, p < 0.01; anti-NFM, n.s.). There was no relationship between avidities in serum and CSF for individual anti-neurocytoskeletal antibodies. We did not observe the relationship among the avidities of various anti-neurocytoskeletal antibodies. The avidities of anti-tau antibodies in the CSF were significantly higher in the MS patients than those in the controls (p < 0.0001). The study demonstrates the differences in avidities of CSF or serum neurocytoskeletal antibodies measured as the urea resistance by ELISA method. Avidity determination of anti-neurocytoskeletal antibodies could contribute to the evaluation of the immunological status of patients.
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PMID:Avidity of anti-neurocytoskeletal antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid and serum. 2256 18