Recent advances in research on neuropathological aspects of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with superoxide dismutase 1 gene mutations: Neuronal Lewy body-like hyaline inclusions and astrocytic hyaline inclusions

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that primarily involves the motor neuron system. Of all patients with ALS, approximately 5%-10% of them are familial and most of the others are sporadic. Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene mutations are shown to be associated with about 20% of familial ALS (FALS) patients. FALS is neuropathologically classified into two subtypes: classical FALS in which degeneration is restricted to only motor neurons and FALS which is characterized by the degeneration of the posterior column in addition to the lesion of the motor neuron system. The neuronal Lewy body-like hyaline inclusion (LBHI) is a characteristic neuropathological marker of mutant SOD1-linked FALS with posterior column involvement. Inclusions similar to the neuronal LBHIs have been discovered in astrocytes in certain patients with FALS exhibiting SODl gene mutations. The purpose of this review is to discuss the novel neuropathological significance of the astrocytic hyaline inclusions (Ast- HIS) and neuronal LBHIs in brain tissues from individuals with the posterior-column-involvement-type FALS with SODl gene mutations. In hematoxylin and eosin preparations, both Ast-HIS and neuronal LBHIs are eosinophilic inclusions and sometimes show eosinophilic cores with paler peripheral halos. Immunohistochemically, both inclusions are intensely positive for SODl. At the ultrastructural level, both inclusions consist of approximately 15-25 nm-sized granule-coated fibrils and granular materials. Immunoelectron microscopically, these abnormal granule-coated fibrils and granular materials are positive for SOD1. Therefore the FALS disease process originating from SODl gene mutations occurs in astrocytes as well as neurons and is involved in the formation of both inclusions.