1 State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
2 Laboratory of Biotechnology and State Key Laboratory of Chinese Ethnic Minority Traditional Medicine, College of Life & Environmental Science, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
3 School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Abstract 

Objective 
To investigate whether intracellular amyloid β (iAβ) induces toxicity in wild type (WT) and APP/PS1 mice, a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. 
Methods
Different forms of Aβ aggregates were microinjected into cultured WT or APP/PS1 mouse hippocampal neurons. TUNEL staining was performed to examine neuronal cell death. Reactive oxidative species (ROS) were measured by MitoSOX™ Red mitochondrial superoxide indicator. 
Results
Crude, monomer and protofibril Aβ induced more toxicity in APP/PS1 neurons than in WT neurons. ROS are involved in mediating the vulnerability of APP/PS1 neurons to iAβ toxicity. 
Conclusion
Oxidative stress may mediate cell death induced by iAβ in neurons.

Keywords

amyloid; reactive oxidative species; APP/PS1; aggregation; toxicity

[SpringerLink]