title: Congo red protects against toxicity of beta-amyloid peptides on rat hippocampal neurones.
abstract: beta-Amyloid peptides are neurotoxic when applied to primary cultures of hippocampal neurones from the embryonic rat. This neurotoxic effect can be inhibited completely by certain disazo dyestuffs. The most potent of these are Congo Red and Congo Rubin, whilst Direct Garnet and sodium 4-aminonaphthalene-1-sulphonate are inactive. Congo Red also inhibits the neurotoxic effects of the human pancreatic amyloidogenic peptide amylin. It is postulated that these dyes, by interacting with the beta-pleated sheet structure of amyloidogenic peptides, prevent aggregation and hence neurotoxity.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Centre de Recherche de Vitry-Alfortville, Rhône-Poulenc, Vitry-sur-Seine, France.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Burgevin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passat
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doble
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000633:toxicity; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003224:Congo Red / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); C092862:amyloid beta-protein (10-43); D003224:Congo Red