title: Probing amyloid beta-induced cell death using a fluorescence-peptide conjugate in Alzheimer's disease mouse model.
abstract: With the increasing worldwide incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD), there is a critical need for the discovery of more effective diagnostic methods. However, development of diagnostic tools in AD has been hindered by obstacles such as the absence of exact biomarkers. Apoptosis caused by amyloid-β (Aβ) plays an important role in AD pathology; therefore, provides an attractive biological target for the diagnosis of AD. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of small peptide, named ApoPep-1 (Apoptosis-targeting peptide-1) as a new apoptosis imaging agent in AD. The fluorescein-conjugated ApoPep-1, but not the control peptide, targeted apoptotic cells in the brain of amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) mice. We also observed fluorescence signals during in vivo imaging of apoptotic cells using ApoPep-1, and fluorescence levels increased in an age-dependent manner in APP/PS1 mice. Ex vivo imaging of isolated brains in APP/PS1 mice further confirmed the targeting of ApoPep-1 to apoptotic cells. The fluorescein-labeled ApoPep-1 co-localized with brain cells such as neurons, astrocytes, and microglia, all of which undergo apoptosis in the APP/PS1 mice brain. These findings demonstrate that ApoPep-1 can target apoptotic brain cells, and be used for experimental investigations relevant to apoptosis in AD.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Neuroplasticity Research Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Cell & Matrix Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Kil
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China; Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Cell & Matrix Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Neuroplasticity Research Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Cell & Matrix Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Neuroplasticity Research Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Cell & Matrix Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Namoh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Neuroplasticity Research Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Cell & Matrix Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Neuroplasticity Research Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea; KU-KIST School, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In-San
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Cell & Matrix Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: leebh@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Byung-Heon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Neuroplasticity Research Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Cell & Matrix Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jsbae@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jae-Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); C578342:cysteinyl-glutaminyl-arginyl-prolyl-prolyl-arginine; D019793:Fluorescein
keywords: Alzheimer's disease mouse model; Apoptosis; Brain; In vivo imaging; Small peptide