title: Effect of sterols on beta-amyloid peptide (AbetaP 1-40) channel formation and their properties in planar lipid membranes.
abstract: We investigate the role played by membrane composition on the interaction and self-assembly of beta-amyloid peptide (AbetaP1-40) during pore formation in planar lipid membranes (PLMs). Incorporation studies showed that AbetaP does not interact with zwitterionic membranes made up of phosphatidylcholine, whereas the addition of cholesterol or ergosterol to the membranes leads to channel formation. Among the PLMs used, a higher propensity of AbetaP to form channels at low applied potential (+/-20 mV) was observed in 7-dehydrocholesterol and in oxidized cholesterol PLMs. These channels present long lifetimes, high-occurrence frequencies, and are voltage dependent. In particular, the AbetaP channel in oxidized cholesterol showed anion selectivity. Thus cholesterol (and sterols in general) could be considered as targets for AbetaP, which prevents the fibrillation process by increasing incorporation into membranes. Furthermore, by switching the channel selectivity versus anions, cholesterol helps to reduce the imbalance of the cellular ions, calcium included, induced by membrane depolarization, which could be one of the factors responsible for cytotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Farmaco-Biologico, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy. micelli@farmbiol.uniba.it
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Micelli
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meleleo
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Picciarelli
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallucci
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D003684:Dehydrocholesterols / Q000378:metabolism; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000378:metabolism; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D003684:Dehydrocholesterols; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); D002784:Cholesterol; C016705:7-dehydrocholesterol; D004875:Ergosterol