Table I.

Summary of demographic data, neuropathology, and experimental results of human subjects

Case PMI Brain area Nuclear localization of AMPK-α-p Nuclear localization of AMPK-α1 Age Gender HD Vonsattel grade Other pathology 
 h  % % yr    
HD-1a Caudate nucleus 71 ± 5 77 ± 4 80 Cortical amyolid plaques 
HD-2a <24 Caudate nucleus 67 ± 7 75 ± 5 70 IV Brainstem Lewy body 
HD-1a Frontal cortex 67 ± 8 85 ± 4 80 Cortical amyolid plaques 
HD-2a <24 Frontal cortex 69 ± 6 70 ± 9 70 IV Brainstem Lewy body 
HD-3b 15 Frontal cortex 51 ± 8 56 ± 4 57 None 
HD-4b 17 Frontal cortex 60 ± 4 64 ± 7 58 None 
Non–HD-1a Caudate nucleus 31 ± 7 22 ± 5 93 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-2a 14 Caudate nucleus 17 ± 5 20 ± 6 88 n.a. None 
Non–HD-3a <24 Caudate nucleus 24 ± 6 31 ± 3 82 n.a. None 
Non–HD-4a 12 Caudate nucleus 25 ± 5 18 ± 5 78 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-5a <24 Caudate nucleus 18 ± 4 26 ± 3 74 n.a. None 
Non–HD-6a <24 Caudate nucleus 21 ± 5 22 ± 3 83 n.a. None 
Non–HD-1a Frontal cortex 22 ± 5 20 ± 7 93 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-2a 14 Frontal cortex 12 ± 4 18 ± 6 88 n.a. None 
Non–HD-3a <24 Frontal cortex 19 ± 7 22 ± 8 82 n.a. None 
Non–HD-4a 12 Frontal cortex 27 ± 4 21 ± 5 78 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-5a <24 Frontal cortex 25 ± 3 21 ± 7 74 n.a. None 
Non–HD-6a <24 Frontal cortex 22 ± 5 17 ± 4 83 n.a. None 
Case PMI Brain area Nuclear localization of AMPK-α-p Nuclear localization of AMPK-α1 Age Gender HD Vonsattel grade Other pathology 
 h  % % yr    
HD-1a Caudate nucleus 71 ± 5 77 ± 4 80 Cortical amyolid plaques 
HD-2a <24 Caudate nucleus 67 ± 7 75 ± 5 70 IV Brainstem Lewy body 
HD-1a Frontal cortex 67 ± 8 85 ± 4 80 Cortical amyolid plaques 
HD-2a <24 Frontal cortex 69 ± 6 70 ± 9 70 IV Brainstem Lewy body 
HD-3b 15 Frontal cortex 51 ± 8 56 ± 4 57 None 
HD-4b 17 Frontal cortex 60 ± 4 64 ± 7 58 None 
Non–HD-1a Caudate nucleus 31 ± 7 22 ± 5 93 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-2a 14 Caudate nucleus 17 ± 5 20 ± 6 88 n.a. None 
Non–HD-3a <24 Caudate nucleus 24 ± 6 31 ± 3 82 n.a. None 
Non–HD-4a 12 Caudate nucleus 25 ± 5 18 ± 5 78 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-5a <24 Caudate nucleus 18 ± 4 26 ± 3 74 n.a. None 
Non–HD-6a <24 Caudate nucleus 21 ± 5 22 ± 3 83 n.a. None 
Non–HD-1a Frontal cortex 22 ± 5 20 ± 7 93 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-2a 14 Frontal cortex 12 ± 4 18 ± 6 88 n.a. None 
Non–HD-3a <24 Frontal cortex 19 ± 7 22 ± 8 82 n.a. None 
Non–HD-4a 12 Frontal cortex 27 ± 4 21 ± 5 78 n.a. AD break NFT 
Non–HD-5a <24 Frontal cortex 25 ± 3 21 ± 7 74 n.a. None 
Non–HD-6a <24 Frontal cortex 22 ± 5 17 ± 4 83 n.a. None 

Significant amounts of phosphorylated AMPK-α at Thr172 (AMPK-α-p) and AMPK-α1 were found in nuclei in brains of HD patients but not in those of age-matched controls. Brain sections were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining of AMPK-α-p or AMPK-α1 as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. S1. At least 200 cells were counted in brain sections of each subject. The Alzheimer-type pathology (both senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles [NFTs]) was assessed by thioflavin-S fluorescence microscopy. The Braak neurofibrillary tangle stage was assigned based on the counts of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles with this method. F, female; M, male; n.a., not applicable; PMI, postmortem interval.

a

Cases obtained from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.

b

Cases obtained from the National Institute of Child Health and Development Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disorders at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

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