title: Activation of complement and contact system in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: beta-Amyloid protein (betaA) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) because of its neurotoxicity and ability to trigger a local inflammatory response. Although assembly of betaA in particular aggregates seems to be crucial event in AD pathogenesis, soluble, non-fibrillar betaA may also be involved. Non-fibrillar betaA1-42, and truncated peptide 1-28, induced dose-dependent activation of C4 sparing C3. The mechanism of C4 activation was not dependent on C1q, because non-fibrillar betaA can still activate C4 in plasma genetically deficient in C1q. A C1q independent mechanism of complement classical pathway activation could be via the activation of contact/kinin system. The possible involvement of contact system in AD is suggested by the finding that this system is massively activated in CSF of AD patients. The mechanism of activation of contact system could be the result of an anionic interaction of residues within the region 1-11 of betaA1-42 with factor XII, and of kallikrein generation. Concomitant incubation of a small cationic peptide (lysine4) with betaA abrogated its ability to trigger the cleavage of high molecular weight kininogen. In vivo, prevention of contact system activation beside the reduction of kallikrein generation, can also decrease the activation of complement system and the release of interleukin-6, both factors being considered to play an important role in the inflammatory reactions in AD brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, University of Milan, Via Pace 15, 20122, Milan, Italy. luigi.bergamaschini@unimi.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bergamaschini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donarini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gobbo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Parnetti
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gallai
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003167:Complement Activation; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D011415:Complement Factor B / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D005174:Factor XII / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007610:Kallikreins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology; D007704:Kininogens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D007704:Kininogens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C084358:amyloid beta-protein (1-28); C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D005174:Factor XII; D007610:Kallikreins; D011415:Complement Factor B