?B-Crystallin is a major component of glial cytoplasmic inclusions in multiple system atrophy

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is characterized by the formation of oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) consisting of a-synuclein filaments. aB-crystallin, a small chaperone protein that binds to unfolded proteins and inhibits aggregation, has been documented in GCIs. We investigated the relative abundance and speciation of aB-crystallin in GCIs in MSA brains. We also examined the influence of aB-crystallin on the formation of cytoplasmic inclusions in cultured glial cells. Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed aBcrystallin is a prominent component of GCIs, more abundant than in Lewy bodies in Lewy body dementia. One- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometric analysis of GCIs immunopurified from MSA brains indicated that aB-crystallin is a major protein component with multiple post-translationally modified species. In cultured C6 glioma cells treated with the proteasomal inhibitor, lactacystin, to induce accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, a subset of cells showed increased cytoplasmic staining for aB-crystallin. Proteasomeinhibited cells transfected with GFP-tagged a-synuclein resulted in ubiquitin- and aB-crystallin-positive aggregates resembling GCIs in MSA brains. Our results indicate that aB-crystallin is a major chaperone in MSA, and suggest a role of the protein in the formation of inclusion bodies in glial cells.No Full Tex

Tilted seat position for non-ambulant individuals with neurological and neuromuscular impairment: a systematic review

Objective: To determine the effects of tilt-in-space seating on outcomes for people with neurological or neuromuscular impairment who cannot walk. Data sources: Search through electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED). Discussions with researchers who are active in field. Review methods: Selection criteria included interventional studies that investigated the effects of seat tilt on outcome or observational studies that identified outcomes for those who had used tilt-in-space seating in populations with neurological or neuromuscular impairments. Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed quality and extracted data. Results: Nineteen studies were identified which fulfilled the selection criteria. Seventeen of these were essentially before–after studies investigating the immediate effects of tilting the seating. All studies looked at populations with neurological impairment, and most were on children with cerebral palsy (n = 8) or adults with spinal cord injury (n = 8). Reviewer's conclusion: Posterior tilt can reduce pressures at the interface under the pelvis