A 62-year-old man is brought to the emergency room in a disoriented state. Physical examination reveals jaundice, splenomegaly, and ascites. Serum levels of ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin are all elevated. A liver biopsy demonstrates alcoholic hepatitis with Mallory bodies. These cytoplasmic structures are composed of interwoven bundles of which of the following proteins?
Intermediate filaments -Hyaline is a term that refers to any material that exhibits a reddish, homogeneous appearance when stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). -Standard terminology includes:- Hyaline aeriolosclerosis Alcoholic hyaline in the liver Hyaline membranes in the lung Hyaline droplets in various cells. -Alcoholic (Mallory) hyaline is composed of cytoskeletal intermediate filaments (cytokeratins) -Pulmonary hyaline membranes consist of plasma proteins deposited in alveoli. -Structurally abnormal a1-antitrypsin molecules (choice A) accumulate in the liver of patients with a1-antitrypsin deficiency. -a-Synuclein accumulates in neurons in the substantia nigra of patients with Parkinson's disease. Diagnosis: Alcoholic liver disease Prions (contain infectious proteins devoid of RNA or DNA)- CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) Infective prions have misfolded proteins (alpha helix to beta sheet)
a1-Antitrypsin
b-Amyloid (Ab)
Intermediate filaments
Prion protein (PrP)
Basic Concepts