title: Serum amyloid P component induces neuronal apoptosis and beta-amyloid immunoreactivity.
abstract: Previously we have reported serum amyloid P component (SAP) induced cell death in cerebro-cortical cultures of rat brain. In this paper we studied the types of target cells and the molecular mechanism of SAP-induced cell death. Immuno-electron and light microscopy revealed that SAP penetrates the plasma membrane and translocates selectively into the nuclei of neurons. Neuronal cells with SAP immunoreactivity exhibit the morphological hallmarks of apoptosis in vitro. The apoptotic mechanism of cell death is also supported by the increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. In addition to neurotoxic effects, we detected elevated beta-amyloid (Abeta) immunoreactivity following SAP treatment. This study supports the thesis that SAP plays an important role in the pathomechanism of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease by inducing neuronal apoptosis.
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component