Specificity of biophysical and biochemical alterations in erythrocyte membranes in neurological disorders: Huntington's disease, Friedreich's ataxia, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and myotonic and Duchenne muscular dystrophy

D. Allan Butterfield, William R. Markesbery

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Previous studies in our laboratory had demonstrated alterations in the physical state of membrane proteins in erythrocytes in Huntington's disease. In order to assess the specificity of our findings, the results of electron spin resonance studies of protein and lipid components, scanning electron-microscopic studies, enzymatic analyses of membrane-bound sodium plus potassium stimulated, magnesium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase and protein kinase, and cell deformability studies of erythrocyte membranes have been performed in the neurological disorders, Huntington's disease, Friedreich's ataxia, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and myotonic and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Comparison of the results revealed that alterations in the biophysical and biochemical states of erythrocyte membranes in each disorder are specific to the particular disease state with the exception of those in Friedreich's ataxia and Alzheimer's disease. In the latter instance, the clinical and pathological alterations suggest that these two diseases have different primary defects. Our studies suggest that the molecular basis of each disease is different. In addition, the results suggest that biophysical and biochemical investigations of extraneural tissue in Huntington's disease and other neurological disorders have the potential of clarifying the molecular mechanisms by which these diseases arise.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)261-271
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of the Neurological Sciences
Volume47
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1980

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NS-13791 and NS-14221) and from the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America and a gift from the Lewis L. Cox Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research and Study Fund.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology

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