Granulovacuolar degeneration: a neurodegenerative change that accompanies tau pathology

Granule-containing vacuoles in the cytoplasm of hippocampal neurons are a neuropathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease. Granulovacuolar degeneration (GVD) is not disease-specific and can be observed in other neurodegenerative disorders and even in the brains of non-demented elderly people. Howev...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta neuropathologica 2016-09, Vol.132 (3), p.339-359
Main Author: Kohler, Christoph
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alzheimer Disease - metabolism
Alzheimer Disease - pathology
Alzheimer's disease
Animals
Brain
Cellular signal transduction
Hippocampus - metabolism
Hippocampus - pathology
Humans
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Nerve Degeneration - pathology
Nervous system diseases
Neurons - metabolism
Neurons - pathology
Neurosciences
Pathology
Physiological aspects
Proteins
Review
tau Proteins - metabolism
Vacuoles - metabolism
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Description
Summary:Granule-containing vacuoles in the cytoplasm of hippocampal neurons are a neuropathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease. Granulovacuolar degeneration (GVD) is not disease-specific and can be observed in other neurodegenerative disorders and even in the brains of non-demented elderly people. However, several studies have reported much higher numbers of neurons undergoing GVD in the hippocampus of Alzheimer’s disease cases. Recently, a neuropathological staging system for GVD has facilitated neuropathological assessment. Data obtained by electron microscopy and immunolabeling suggest that GVD inclusions are a special form of autophagic vacuole. GVD frequently occurs together with pathological changes of the microtubule-associated protein tau, but to date, the relationship between the two lesions remains elusive. Originally identified in hematoxylin- and silver-stained sections, immunolabeling has shown that the granules are composed of a variety of proteins, including those related to tau pathology, autophagy, diverse signal transduction pathways, cell stress and apoptosis. Several of these proteins serve as markers of GVD. Most researchers and authors have interpreted the sequestration of proteins into GVD inclusions as either a cellular defense mechanism or one that leads to the impairment of important cellular functions. This review provides a detailed overview of the various aspects of GVD and focuses on the relationship between tau pathology and GVD.
ISSN:0001-6322
1432-0533
DOI:10.1007/s00401-016-1562-0