Immunohistochemical localization of a new thiamine diphosphate-binding protein in the rat nervous system

The neurophysiological roles of thiamine-binding proteins have lately attracted considerable attention. We purified a new thiamine diphosphate-binding protein (ThDP-BP) prepared from rat livers and produced an antiserum against it. We examined the immunohistochemical distribution of ThDP-BP in the rat nervous system by the avidin-biotin complex technique. Immunoreactivity for ThDP-BP was found in several groups of neurons, and other neuronal tissues including glial cells, ependymal cells and Schwann cells. In neurons, the cytoplasm and processes were stained, but the nucleus was scarcely stained. In glial cells, the nucleus was stained, but the cytoplasm was not stained.