Abnormal accumulation of phospholipase C-δ in filamentous inclusions of human neurodegenerative diseases

We have previously demonstrated that an antibody to phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) isozyme, PLC-δ, intensely stained neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study was performed to determine if abnormal PLC-δ accumulation might be present in the filamentous inclusions of other neurodegenerative diseases. We found that the anti-PLC-δ antibody stained neuronal inclusions of Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and diffuse Lewy body disease while the inclusions of idiopathic Parkinson's disease lacked PLC-δ accumulation. These results suggest a possible role for PLC-δ interaction in the formation of intraneuronal filamentous inclusions in human neurodegenerative diseases.