Hippocampal sclerosis in Lewy body disease is a TDP-43 proteinopathy similar to FTLD-TDP Type A

Acta Neuropathol. 2015 Jan;129(1):53-64. doi: 10.1007/s00401-014-1358-z. Epub 2014 Nov 4.

Abstract

Hippocampal sclerosis (HpScl) is frequent in frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 pathology (FTLD-TDP), but it also occurs in dementia of the elderly with or without accompanying Alzheimer type pathology. HpScl has been hypothesized to be a neurodegenerative process given its association with TDP-43 pathology, but this is still controversial. TDP-43 pathology is found in Lewy body disease (LBD), but no study has focused on the pathologic and genetic characteristics of HpScl in LBD. We found HpScl in 5.2% of 669 LBD cases (289 transitional and 380 diffuse). Older age, higher Braak neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) stage, and presence of TDP-43 pathology were associated with HpScl. There was no difference in the frequency of HpScl between transitional and diffuse LBD, suggesting that Lewy-related pathology appears to have no direct association with HpScl. All HpScl cases had TDP-43 pathology consistent with Type A pattern. HpScl cases harbored genetic variation in TMEM106B that has been previously associated with FTLD-TDP. Interestingly, the severity of TDP-43-positive fine neurites in CA1 sector, a possible pathologic precursor of HpScl, was associated with the TMEM106B variant. These results demonstrate HpScl in LBD is a TDP-43 proteinopathy and is similar to FTLD-TDP Type A. Furthermore, a subset of LBD cases without HpScl ("pre-HpScl") had similar pathologic and genetic characteristics to typical HpScl, suggesting that the spectrum of HpScl pathology may be wider than previously thought. Some cases with many extracellular NFTs also had a similar profile. We suggest that HpScl is "masked" in these cases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Apolipoprotein E4 / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Female
  • Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration / epidemiology
  • Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration / genetics
  • Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration / metabolism
  • Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration / pathology*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Lewy Body Disease / epidemiology
  • Lewy Body Disease / genetics
  • Lewy Body Disease / metabolism
  • Lewy Body Disease / pathology*
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Neurites / metabolism
  • Neurites / pathology
  • Progranulins
  • Sclerosis / epidemiology
  • Sclerosis / genetics
  • Sclerosis / metabolism
  • TDP-43 Proteinopathies / epidemiology
  • TDP-43 Proteinopathies / genetics
  • TDP-43 Proteinopathies / metabolism
  • TDP-43 Proteinopathies / pathology*

Substances

  • Apolipoprotein E4
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • GRN protein, human
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Progranulins
  • TARDBP protein, human
  • TMEM106B protein, human