Ubiquitin-binding protein p62 is present in neuronal and glial inclusions in human tauopathies and synucleinopathies

We examined the immunoreactivity of ubiquitin-binding protein p62 and its association with ubiquitin (Ub), alpha-synuclein, and paired helical filament (PHF)-tau in the affected brain areas of human tauopathies and synucleinopathies. Ubiquitin-binding protein p62 is a widely expressed protein that can bind to Ub noncovalently and is involved in several signalling pathways, making p62 a candidate regulator of Ub-mediated proteolysis. We show that p62 immunoreactivity co-localizes with neuronal and glial Ub-containing inclusions in Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease, and multiple system atrophy. This is the first demonstration of a common protein component, apart from Ub, that is present in both PHF-tau and alpha-synuclein inclusions. In both tauo- and synucleinopathies, the staining patterns for p62 and Ub were markedly similar, suggesting that a common mechanism which requires interaction of p62 and Ub contributes to the formation of PHF-tau and alpha-synuclein inclusions.