Amyloid-like (Congophilic) neurofibrillary tangles do not react with neurofilament antisera in Alzheimer's cerebral cortex.

The immunohistological properties of Alzheimer's neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) were studied by immunofluorescence with neurofilament (NF) antisera and with antiserum raised to paired helical filaments (PHF) in NFT preparations, brain smears, and cryostat sections. NFT decorated by NF antisera were Congo red-negative. Conversely, PHF antisera stained Congo red-positive NFT but failed to decorate NF-positive NFT. It is concluded that NF do not cross react with typical NFT, i.e., NFT displaying amyloid-like birefringence, under the conditions reported in this study.