Expression of peripherin in the brain of macaques (Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis) occurs in astrocytes rather than neurones and is associated with encephalitis

• Published in: Neuropathology and applied neurobiology Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 434 - 443
• Main Authors: Mathew, J. S., Westmoreland, S. V., Alvarez, X., Simon, M. A., Pauley, D. R., MacKey, J. J., Lackner, A. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.12.2001; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Astrocytes - metabolism; Astrocytes - pathology; Astrocytes - ultrastructure; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Brain - cytology; Cell Division; confocal microscopy; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Encephalitis - metabolism; Encephalitis - pathology; Immunohistochemistry; Intermediate Filament Proteins - analysis; Intermediate Filament Proteins - biosynthesis; intermediate filaments; Intermediate Filaments - pathology; Macaca fascicularis; Macaca mulatta; Medical sciences; Membrane Glycoproteins; Microscopy, Confocal; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; Nerve Tissue Proteins - analysis; Nerve Tissue Proteins - biosynthesis; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Neurons - pathology; Neurons - ultrastructure; neuropathology; Peripherins; Immunohistochemistry; Encephalitis; Nervous system diseases; Encephalomyelitis; Monkey; Exploration; Confocal microscopy; Gene expression; Cerebral disorder; Pathology; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Central nervous system disease; Primates; Peripherin; Immunofluorescence; Spinal cord disease
• ISSN: 0305-1846; 1365-2990
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2990.2001.00361.x

Peripherin is a member of the type III intermediate filament family, expressed in neurones of the peripheral nervous system of many species and in a discrete subpopulation of neurones of the central nervous system (CNS) during early development in rodents. Previous studies on rats have shown that peripherin immunoreactivity increased significantly in cell bodies of spinal motor neurones following axonal injury. Our study examined the expression of peripherin in the cerebrum of normal macaques (Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis) and those with encephalitis of viral (simian immunodeficiency virus and simian virus 40) or autoimmune (experimental allergic encephalomyelitis) aetiology. Immunohistochemistry, immunoelectronmicroscopy, immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy were performed on tissue sections using antibodies against cell‐specific markers and peripherin. Peripherin‐positive cells were absent in the cerebrum of normal macaques of all ages examined, whereas animals with encephalitis had peripherin‐positive cells associated with inflammatory infiltrates. Further evaluation revealed that these peripherin‐positive cells were not neurones, but were predominantly astrocytes expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein. Our study suggests that peripherin is not neurone‐specific in the CNS of macaques; peripherin is expressed in astrocytes of animals with encephalitis.