title: β-Amyloid-acetylcholine molecular interaction: new role of cholinergic mediators in anti-Alzheimer therapy?
abstract: For long time Alzheimer's disease has been attributed to a cholinergic deficit. More recently, it has been considered dependent on the accumulation of the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ), which promotes neuronal loss and impairs neuronal function. Results/methodology: In the present study, using biophysical and biochemical experiments we tested the hypothesis that in addition to its role as a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine may exert its action as an anti-Alzheimer agent through a direct interaction with Aβ.
  
  
  
  Our data provide evidence that acetylcholine favors the soluble peptide conformation and exerts a neuroprotective effect against the neuroinflammatory and toxic effects of Aβ. The present paper paves the way toward the development of new polyfunctional anti-Alzheimer therapeutics capable of intervening on both the cholinergic transmission and the Aβ aggregation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy.
authors.forename: Sara Di
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Confocal Microscopy Unit, EBRI-European Brain Research Institute, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Florenzano
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cellular Biology & Neurobiology (IBCN), CNR, IRCSS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ciotta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine & Surgery, University of Salerno, Via Allende, 84081 Baronissi (SA), Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania Lucia
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nori
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriquez
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, Napoli, Italy.|Istituto di Diagnosi e Cura Hermitage Capodimonte, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: D'Ursi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scrima
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D066329:Protein Aggregates / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D066329:Protein Aggregates; D000109:Acetylcholine
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Aβ(25–35); acetylcholine; amyloid peptide; anti-Alzheimer agent; cholinergic trasmission