Elevated levels of an exocrine pancreatic secretory protein in Alzheimer disease brain.

We identified by a monoclonal antibody-based immunoradiometric assay high concentrations of an exocrine pancreatic protein called pancreatic thread protein (PTP) in several areas of Alzheimer disease (AD) brain. The saline-extractable soluble immunoreactivity shares at least three epitopes in common with the native pancreatic form of the protein; the Mr varies from approximately 17,000 to 20,000. Quantitative measurements of PTP immunoreactivity in various regions of several AD brains revealed levels varying from 12 to 295 ng/g of tissue (mean, 116 ng/g) compared with 1-11 ng/g of tissue (mean, 5 ng/g) found in comparable areas of control brains. Immunocytochemistry performed with the anti-PTP monoclonal antibodies demonstrate PTP immunoreactivity within large pyramidal neurons--many of which contain neurofibrillary tangles in both AD and Down syndrome. Less accumulation was observed in astrocytes, and some PTP immunoreactivity was found extracellularly. The highest number of labeled cells in AD and Down syndrome was seen in the hippocampal formation. Fewer positive-staining cells were noted in normal and disease control brains. We conclude, therefore, that an exocrine pancreatic protein is present in the central nervous system of normal individuals at low levels; in AD brain concentrations of this protein are much higher.