Characterization of intracytoplasmic neurofilament accumulation in hamster brain caused by Alzheimer buffy coat inoculation: comparison with experimental neurofibrillary changes produced by aluminum intoxication

Abstract

Neurofilament accumulation was produced in neuronal perikarya of the lower brain stem nuclei in the hamster brain by inoculating buffy coat from a patient with Alzheimer's disease. The abnormally proliferated neurofilament was characterized by immunostaining and electron microscopy. The intracytoplasmic neurofilament accumulation was positively stained with anti-tau and anti-ubiquitin, but not with antibody against paired helical filaments. Experimental neurofibrillary changes were produced in the rabbit brain by aluminum injection, and the proliferated neurofilaments in the rabbit brain were compared with those in the hamster brain inoculated with Alzheimer buffy coat. The results indicate that the long pathological process in the hamster brain is triggered by Alzheimer's buffy coat inoculation which results in intracytoplasmic accumulation of modified neurofilaments.