Alzheimer's disease brain: alterations in RNA levels and in a ribonuclease-inhibitor complex.

Author(s): Sajdel-Sulkowska EM, Marotta CA

Publication: Science, 1984, Vol. 225, Page 947-9

PubMed ID: 6206567 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of PMI (3.5-15 h) and Alzheimer's disease on total and poly(A) RNA yield and RNase activity in the cortex.

   Summary of Findings:

   No correlation between total or poly(A) RNA yield and postmortem intervals of 3.5-25 h was identified. Total and poly(A) RNA differed significantly among disease states, as the cerebral cortex of Alzheimer's disease brains yielded only 54.7% of the total and 35.7% of the poly(A) RNA obtained from control specimens. Alkaline RNase activity, which also differed among disease states, was 1.87 fold higher in Alzheimer's disease brains than normal controls. One of the six Alzheimer's disease specimens had values within the normal range for both RNase activity and RNA yield. The addition of p-chloromecuribenzoate (PCMB), a chemical blocker of endogenous inhibitors of RNasaes, elicited a 1.33 fold increase in alkaline RNase activity in control brains, but a decrease in all Alzheimer's disease brains examined reducing activity to less than 1% of that observed prior to treatment. Acid RNAse levels were independent of PMI, but higher in Alzheimer disease cortices compared to normal controls, and inducible by PCMB treatment in all specimens. The authors conclude that PMI has no effect on RNA yield or RNase activity, but that Alzheimer's disease alters the RNase complex increasing overall activity and thereby decreasing total and poly(A) RNA levels.

   Biospecimens

   • Tissue - Brain

   Preservative Types

   • Frozen

   Diagnoses:

   • Autopsy
   • Alzheimer's Disease
   • Normal

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   RNA	Spectrophotometry
   Protein	Enzyme assay

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Preaquisition	Postmortem interval	3.5-25 h
   Preaquisition	Diagnosis/ patient condition	Alzheimer's disease Normal control -no neuropsychiatric disease

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