Bunina bodies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Neuropathology. 2008 Apr;28(2):109-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1789.2007.00873.x. Epub 2007 Dec 5.

Abstract

Bunina bodies, which are small eosinophilic intraneuronal inclusions in the remaining lower motor neurons, are generally considered to be a specific pathologic hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). One year before a publication by Bunina, van Reeth et al. described similar intracytoplasmic inclusions in the anterior horn cells in a patient with Pick's dementia with atypical ALS. At present, only two proteins have been shown to be present in Bunina bodies, one is cystatin C and the other is transferrin. Bunina bodies consist of amorphous electron-dense material surrounded by tubular and vesicular structures on electron microscopy. Although the nature and significance of Bunina bodies in ALS are not yet clear, the bodies may be abnormal accumulations of unknown proteinous materials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Inclusion Bodies / ultrastructure*
  • Motor Neurons / ultrastructure*