Expression of a cell death marker (clusterin) in muscle target fibers

Oliveira, Acary Souza Bulle; Corbo, Massimo; Duigou, Greg; Gabbai, Alberto Alain; Hays, Arthur P.

doi:10.1590/S0004-282X1993000300014

Abstracts

We report, for the first time, the expression of immunoractivity to clusterin in skeletal muscle. Clusterin, a protein probably related to the process of programmed cell death (apoptosis), was specifically very highly expressed in target fibers. All target fibers found in 50 muscle biopsy samples from a variety of neuromuscular disorders expressed a high concentration of clusterin in the middle of the targets. Clusterin was not expressed in any targetoid fibers or cores. Acute denervation, where targets are mostly seen, may be the beginning of apoptosis. Hence our findings support the concept that targets are harbingers of acute denervation.

skeletal muscle; target; clusterin

Descrevemos, pela primeira vez, a expressão de imunorreatividade para clusterina em músculo esquelético. Clusterina, proteína relacionada ao processo de morte celular programada (apoptosis), encontrou-se especificamente muito aumentada em fibras musculares com «target» (FT). Todas as FT encontradas em 50 biópsias musculares de pacientes com diferentes doenças neuromusculares apresentaram alta concentração de clusterina no centro das FT. Clusterina não esteve semelhantemente aumentada em fibras com «targetóide» ou com «core». A alta expressão de clusterina em «targets» indica que FT podem ser o início de apoptosis e que há íntima relação entre FT e desnervação aguda.

músculo esquelético; fibras com «target»; clusterina

Acary Souza Bulle Oliveira^I; Massimo Corbo^II; Greg Duigou^III; Alberto Alain Gabbai^I; Arthur P. Hays^II

^IDepartment of Neurology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo

^IIDivision of Neuropathology

^IIIDepartment of Neurosurgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York

SUMMARY

We report, for the first time, the expression of immunoractivity to clusterin in skeletal muscle. Clusterin, a protein probably related to the process of programmed cell death (apoptosis), was specifically very highly expressed in target fibers. All target fibers found in 50 muscle biopsy samples from a variety of neuromuscular disorders expressed a high concentration of clusterin in the middle of the targets. Clusterin was not expressed in any targetoid fibers or cores. Acute denervation, where targets are mostly seen, may be the beginning of apoptosis. Hence our findings support the concept that targets are harbingers of acute denervation.

Key words: skeletal muscle, target, clusterin.

RESUMO

Descrevemos, pela primeira vez, a expressão de imunorreatividade para clusterina em músculo esquelético. Clusterina, proteína relacionada ao processo de morte celular programada (apoptosis), encontrou-se especificamente muito aumentada em fibras musculares com «target» (FT). Todas as FT encontradas em 50 biópsias musculares de pacientes com diferentes doenças neuromusculares apresentaram alta concentração de clusterina no centro das FT. Clusterina não esteve semelhantemente aumentada em fibras com «targetóide» ou com «core». A alta expressão de clusterina em «targets» indica que FT podem ser o início de apoptosis e que há íntima relação entre FT e desnervação aguda.

Palavras-chave: músculo esquelético, fibras com «target», clusterina.

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Aceite: 23-janeiro-1993.

Dr. Acary S. B. Oliveira Disciplina de Neurologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Rua Botucatu, 762 - 04023-900 São Paulo SP - Brasil.

Dr. Acary S. B. Oliveira was supported by the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq)

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