Biomaterial Database

Neurofilament phosphorylation is enhanced in cultured chick spinal cord neurons exposed to cerebrospinal fluid from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. 1994

T N Nagaraja, and M Gourie-Devi, and A Nalini, and T R Raju

Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, India.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by degeneration of lower and upper motor neurons. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of ALS patients have been found to exert toxic effects on neurons in culture. We report here increased phosphorylation of neurofilaments (NF) in the soma of chick spinal cord neurons in culture when exposed to CSF of ALS patients. Spinal cord neurons were cultured from 10-day embryonic chick and exposed to culture medium supplemented with CSF or serum (10%) from ALS and non-ALS patients for 48 h. There was a significant increase in the number of neuronal soma staining with antibodies against phosphorylated NF, following exposure to CSF from ALS patients. Such an increase, however, was not observed in cultures exposed to serum from ALS patients and also serum and CSF from non-ALS patients. These results suggest that the CSF of ALS patients may contain factor(s) which induces aberrant phosphorylation of NF in the soma, a probable forerunner to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and eventual degeneration of neurons.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008856	Microscopy, Fluorescence	Microscopy of specimens stained with fluorescent dye (usually fluorescein isothiocyanate) or of naturally fluorescent materials, which emit light when exposed to ultraviolet or blue light. Immunofluorescence microscopy utilizes antibodies that are labeled with fluorescent dye.	Fluorescence Microscopy,Immunofluorescence Microscopy,Microscopy, Immunofluorescence,Fluorescence Microscopies,Immunofluorescence Microscopies,Microscopies, Fluorescence,Microscopies, Immunofluorescence
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D010766	Phosphorylation	The introduction of a phosphoryl group into a compound through the formation of an ester bond between the compound and a phosphorus moiety.	Phosphorylations
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002642	Chick Embryo	The developmental entity of a fertilized chicken egg (ZYGOTE). The developmental process begins about 24 h before the egg is laid at the BLASTODISC, a small whitish spot on the surface of the EGG YOLK. After 21 days of incubation, the embryo is fully developed before hatching.	Embryo, Chick,Chick Embryos,Embryos, Chick
D003470	Culture Media	Any liquid or solid preparation made specifically for the growth, storage, or transport of microorganisms or other types of cells. The variety of media that exist allow for the culturing of specific microorganisms and cell types, such as differential media, selective media, test media, and defined media. Solid media consist of liquid media that have been solidified with an agent such as AGAR or GELATIN.	Media, Culture
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000690	Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis	A degenerative disorder affecting upper MOTOR NEURONS in the brain and lower motor neurons in the brain stem and SPINAL CORD. Disease onset is usually after the age of 50 and the process is usually fatal within 3 to 6 years. Clinical manifestations include progressive weakness, atrophy, FASCICULATION, hyperreflexia, DYSARTHRIA, dysphagia, and eventual paralysis of respiratory function. Pathologic features include the replacement of motor neurons with fibrous ASTROCYTES and atrophy of anterior SPINAL NERVE ROOTS and corticospinal tracts. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1089-94)	ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Lou Gehrig Disease,Motor Neuron Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis With Dementia,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Guam Form,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex of Guam,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex 1,Charcot Disease,Dementia With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Gehrig's Disease,Guam Disease,Guam Form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Lou Gehrig's Disease,Lou-Gehrigs Disease,ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Parkinsonism Dementia Complex 1,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinsonism Dementia Complex of Guam,Disease, Guam,Disease, Lou-Gehrigs,Gehrig Disease,Gehrigs Disease,Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral