Characterization of a novel 66 kd subunit of mammalian neurofilaments

Dynamics of neuronal intermediate filaments: A developmental perspective

“…Yet another neuronal intermediate filament protein, NF-66 (60-66 kDa molecular mass), has been recently identified by Chiu et al [1989] and confirmed by sequencing data [Fliegner et al, 19901 to be identical to a previously described cytoskeletal protein, a-internexin [Pachter and Liem, 19851. This intermediate filament system persists in many neurons in the adult brain, however, and predominates in some cell types.…”

Expression and Activity of L-Myc in Normal Mouse Development

“…Neuronal development was evaluated by immunocytochemical staining of paraffin sections with an antiserum raised specifically against a 66-kDa neurofilament protein, NF-66, that is abundantly expressed in both embryonic and postnatal brain neurons. NF-66 and the polyclonal rabbit antiserum were described elsewhere (15). Primary incubations were carried out with antiserum at a 1:1,000 dilution for 2 h at room temperature in 5% bovine serum albumin-PBS.…”

“…To this end, CNS development was assayed on the molecular level through an examination of neurofilament protein NF-66 expression during embryonic neuronal development. NF-66 was selected as a neuronal marker since it is abundantly expressed in neurons of embryonic and postnatal brain tissue and is highly specific and well characterized (15,23). Immunocytochemical studies of NF-66 clearly showed that its expression and distribution in neuronal cytoarchitecture were virtually indistinguishable between wild-type and homozygous null L-myc mice (Fig.…”

α-Internexin Is Structurally and Functionally Associated with the Neurofilament Triplet Proteins in the Mature CNS

“…Subsequently, the structural properties of ␣-internexin and the ability to assemble into filaments by itself or together with either neurofilament proteins or vimentin established ␣-internexin as an IF protein (Kaplan et al, 1990;Ching and Liem, 1993;Steinert et al, 1999). Although its specificity for neurons and abundance in axons led early investigators to suspect that ␣-internexin, like peripherin, may be a subunit of neurofilaments (Portier et al, 1983;Chiu et al, 1989;Kaplan et al, 1990), little evidence has been brought to bear on this possibility (Al-Chalabi and Miller, 2003;Lariviere and Julien, 2004;Liu et al, 2004). Moreover, other studies have supported the view that ␣-internexin forms a separate filament system (Benson et al, 1996;Chien et al, 1996;McGraw et al, 2002).…”