Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
ACTA HISTOCHEMICA, cilt.106, sa.5, ss.363-371, 2004 (SCI-Expanded)
In the present study, we present the ultrastructural. and immunohistochemical. properties of the sural nerves of two patients, one of whom was diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis with involvement of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), and the other as having hereditary motor sensory neuropathy type-I with involvement of the central nervous system (CNS). Expression of several extracellutar matrix (ECM) proteins (fibronectin, laminin, and collagen type-IV), intermediate filaments (vimentin) and S-100 protein (marker for the axon-Schwann cell interface) was investigated by means of immunohistochemical. methods. In addition, the tissue samples were evaluated ultrastructurally. Immunohistochemical staining revealed increased expression of the ECM molecules mentioned above in relation with the sural. nerves of the patients. We hypothesize that this enhanced expression is due to Schwann cell-axon interactions. Vimentin expression was different in Schwann cells and S-100 immunostaining was decreased near the Schwann cell-axon interface. Myelin fragmentation, axon vacuolization, onion bulbs, tomoculous formation, axonal. degeneration were found to occur. These results suggest that there is active ECM reorganization in the sural nerve of these patients, and some ultrastructural changes are similar in the damaged axonal organization and in Schwann cells although the changes are not completely the same in the two patients. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that there is an association between the demyelinization process in the CNS and the PNS even though they are affected by different mechanisms. (C) 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.