A monoclonal antibody that recognizes a phosphorylated epitope in Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles, neurofilaments and tau proteins immunostains granulovacuolar degeneration.

A monoclonal antibody, raised against extracts from Alzheimer brain, that recognizes a phosphorylated epitope in high molecular weight neurofilament proteins and tau proteins also immunostains Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles, neurites in senile plaques and granulovacuolar degeneration. This result suggest that granulovacuolar degeneration may contain phosphorylated proteins, possibly due to autophagy of phosphorylated perikaryal proteins that appear to be increased in Alzheimer's disease.