Transactivation Response DNA-Binding Protein 43 Microvasculopathy in Frontotemporal Degeneration and Familial Lewy Body Disease

We describe novel transactivation response DNA-binding protein of 43 kd (TDP-43)-positive structures in the brains of patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions and familial Lewy body disease. The TDP-43 immunohistochemistry revealed small round structures closely associated with small blood vessels. By immunoelectron microscopy, these TDP-43-positive structures were unmyelinated cell processes located adjacent to and sometimes enclosed by the capillary basal lamina. Some processes protruded from outside of the vascular basal lamina to a position beneath the basal lamina. The processes contained 10- to 17-nm-diameter straight filaments or filaments coated with granular material similar to those described in neurites in frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions and other disorders. In some of the abnormal structures, electron-dense material formed paracrystalline arrays composed of TDP-43. The inclusions were variably positive by immunostaining for the small heat shock protein alpha B-crystallin and less often glial fibrillary acidic protein. Bundles of astrocytic glial fibrils characteristic of reactive astrocytes were often found in proximity, but glial fibrils were negative for TDP-43. These data suggest that these processes are astrocytic end-feet with abnormal TDP-43 fibrillary inclusions. The significance of this novel TDP-43 microvasculopathy on blood-brain barrier integrity wan-ants further investigation.