The amygdala and its subnuclei undergo severe volumetric atrophy in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To determine whether this atrophy is due to loss of neuropil, specific neuronal populations, or both, we evaluated the number, size, and packing density of neurons and glia in the cortical and magnocellular basal amygdaloid subregions. The neuropil fraction did not change with AD in either region. Despite a mean 35% increase in cell packing density in the AD amygdala, total numbers of neurons and glia within tissue sections were reduced significantly; medium and large neurons were preferentially affected. The total number of small neurons was stable in the AD sample despite sharp reductions in nuclear size, suggesting that AD also results in pronounced amygdaloid neuronal shrinkage. Differences in the degree of cell loss between the two nuclei as well as changes in glial cell numbers are discussed in relation to characteristic AD neuropathology and relevant anatomical connectivity.

Amygdala cell loss and atrophy in Alzheimer's disease.

There are two forms of orosomucoid (ORM) in the sera of most individuals. They are encoded by two separate but closely linked loci, ORM1 and ORM2. A number of variants have been identified in various populations. Duplication and nonexpression are also observed in some populations. Thus, the ORM system is very complicated and its nomenclature is very confusing. In order to propose a new nomenclature, ORM variants detected by several laboratories have been compared and characterized by isoelectric focusing (IEF) followed by immunoprinting. A total of 57 different alleles including 17 new ones were identified. The 27 alleles were assigned to the ORM1 locus, and the others to the ORM2 locus. The designations ORM*F1, ORM1*F2, ORM1*S and ORM2*M were adopted for the four common alleles instead of ORM1*1, ORM1*3, ORM1*2 and ORM2*1 (ORM2*A), respectively. The variants were designated alpha numerically according to their relative mobilities after IEF in a pH gradient of 4.5-5.4 with Triton X-100 and glycerol. For the duplicated genes a prefix is added to a combined name of two alleles, e.g. ORM1*dB9S. Silent alleles were named ORM1*Q0 and ORM2*Q0 conventionally. In addition, the effects of diseases to ORM band patterns after IEF are also discussed.

Orosomucoid system: 17 additional orosomucoid variants and proposal for a new nomenclature.

The genetic polymorphism of serum orosomucoid (ORM) was studied in 168 unrelated German individuals using isoelectric focusing followed by immunoprinting. Two new alleles, tentatively designated ORM1*14 and ORM2*13, were identified. The method was successfully applied to demonstrate ORM1 types in dried bloodstains. Each type of ORM1 was also correctly determined in bloodstains heated at 130°C for 30 min. The results indicated that ORM1 is a new powerful genetic marker system for the grouping of bloodstains.

Orosomucoid (ORM) typing by isoelectric focusing: description of two new alleles in a German population and thermostability in bloodstains

The genetic polymorphism of orosomucoid (ORM) and alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) were studied in Thai, Sri Lankan and Paraguayan populations using isoelectric focusing. Gene frequencies in these populations were compared with those in other populations. Four new ORM variants were detected:ORM1 * 15 in Thai,ORM1 * 16 in Paraguayan,ORM2 * 21 andORM2 * 22 in Sri Lankan.

/pdf/genetic-polymorphisms-of-orosomucoid-and-alpha-2-hs-16odikzvnr.pdf

Genetic polymorphisms of orosomucoid and alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein in Thai, Sri Lankan and Paraguayan populations.

The genetic variation of the human serum orosomucoid (ORM) was investigated by isoelectric focusing (IEF) followed by immunofixation in 15 different populations from East Midlands (United Kingdom), India, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. Statistically significant differences were observed between various Asiatic and British populations, however differences within Asiatic and European populations were minor. The distribution ofORM1 alleles in populations investigated to date suggests an interesting east-west geographical cline. There is a suggestion that present day wide polymorphism at theORM1 locus may be influenced by selection.

/pdf/genetic-polymorphism-of-orosomucoid-orm-in-populations-of-2kinj15hs1.pdf

Genetic Polymorphism of Orosomucoid(ORM) in Populations of the United Kingdom,Indian Subcontinent and Cambodia

A Philippine population was investigated for genetic polymorphism of orosomucoid 1 (ORM1), orosomucoid 2 (ORM2), and alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein (A2HS) by isoelectric focusing. The allele frequencies were: ORM1*1 = 0.7904, ORM1*2 = 0.1687, ORM1*2.1 = 0.0409, ORM2*1 = 1.0000; A2HS*1 = 0.6870, A2HS*2 = 0.3130. Compared with the Japanese population, the Philippine population has higher frequencies of ORM1*1 and A2HS*2, and lower frequencies of ORM1*2.1 and A2HS*1.

H Sasaki

Papers

Genetic polymorphisms of orosomucoid and alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein in a Philippine population.