title: Amyloid beta-induced neuronal death is bax-dependent but caspase-independent.
abstract: Fibrillar amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides are major constituents of senile plaques in Alzheimer disease (AD) brain and cause neuronal apoptosis in vitro. Bax and caspase-3 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AD and are components of a well-defined molecular pathway of neuronal apoptosis. To determine whether Abeta-induced neuronal apoptosis involves bax and/or caspase-3 activation, we examined the effect of Abeta on wild-type, bax-deficient, and caspase-3-deficient telencephalic neurons in vitro. In wild-type cultures, Abeta produced time- and concentration-dependent caspase-3 activation, apoptotic nuclear changes, and neuronal death. These neurotoxic effects of Abeta were not observed in bax-deficient cultures. Caspase-3 deficiency, or pharmacological inhibition of caspase activity, prevented caspase-3 activation and blocked the appearance of apoptotic nuclear features but not Abeta-induced neuronal death. Neither calpain inhibition nor microtubule stabilization with Taxol protected telencephalic neurons from Abeta-induced caspase activation or apoptosis. These results have potential implications regarding the underlying pathophysiology of AD and towards AD treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Selznick
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Flavell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rakic
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Roth
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C103192:butyloxycarbonyl-O-methyl-aspartyl-fluoromethyl ketone; C039304:calpain inhibitors; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D017239:Paclitaxel