title: Congo red reverses amyloid beta protein-induced cellular stress in astrocytes.
abstract: An amyloid-binding dye Congo red has been reported to prevent the neurotoxic effect of Alzheimer's amyloid beta protein (Abeta). In the present study, we investigated the effect of Congo red in cultured rat cortical astrocytes. Abeta (1 nM-10 microM) did not cause cell death, but potently inhibited the cellular redox activity as determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. Congo red (0.2-20 microM), when added together with or prior to Abeta, significantly blocked Abeta-induced inhibition of redox activity. Furthermore, when Congo red was added after treatment with Abeta, the inhibited redox activity was restored to normal, indicating that Congo red can reverse Abeta-induced cellular stress. The reversing effect of Congo red cannot be explained by the inhibition of Abeta fibril formation and suggests a novel aspect of the interaction of Congo red with Abeta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003224:Congo Red / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); C074636:amyloid beta-protein (25-35); D003224:Congo Red; C022616:thiazolyl blue