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Neuronal expression of GFAP in patients with Alzheimer pathology and identification of novel GFAP splice forms

Molecular Psychiatry volume 8, pages 786–796 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is considered to be a highly specific marker for glia. Here, we report on the expression of GFAP in neurons in the human hippocampus. Intriguingly, this neuronal GFAP is coded by out-of-frame splice variants and its expression is associated with Alzheimer pathology. We identified three novel GFAP splice forms: Δ 135 nt, Δ exon 6 and Δ 164 nt. Neuronal GFAP is mainly observed in the pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus of Alzheimer and Down syndrome patients and aged controls, but not in neurons of patients suffering from hippocampal sclerosis. Apparently, the hippocampal neurons in patients with Alzheimer's disease pathology are capable of expressing glia-specific genes.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Netherlands Brain Bank team (coordinator R Ravid) for the human post-mortem brain material, CWM van Veelen and PC van Rijen for the biopsy material and P Davies for supplying the MC1 antiserum. The research is supported by HFSP (RG0148/1999-B), NWO-MW (903-51-179) and NWO-memory processes and dementia (970-10-029 and 970-10-002), EU 5th framework (QLRT-02238), Hersenstichting Nederland (H00.06). EA Proper was supported by the Epilepsy Fund of the Netherlands (96-04).

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  1. E A Proper

    Present address: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Isala Klinieken, Weezenlanden, Zwolle, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Meibergdreef 33, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands

    E M Hol, R F Roelofs, E Moraal, M A F Sonnemans, J A Sluijs, D F Fischer & F W van Leeuwen

  2. Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences, UMCU, Universiteitsweg 100, Utrecht, 3584 CG, The Netherlands

    E A Proper & P N E de Graan

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  1. E M Hol
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Correspondence to E M Hol.

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Hol, E., Roelofs, R., Moraal, E. et al. Neuronal expression of GFAP in patients with Alzheimer pathology and identification of novel GFAP splice forms. Mol Psychiatry 8, 786–796 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001379

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