-Amyloid Induces Local Neurite Degeneration in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons: Evidence for Neuritic Apoptosis

Authors: Ivins K.J.; Bui E.T.N.; Cotman C.W.

Source: Neurobiology of Disease, Volume 5, Number 5, November 1998 , pp. 365-378(14)

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Abstract:

Many apoptotic insults, including bgr -amyloid, cause neuritic degeneration. The possibility that apoptotic insults act directly on neurites was investigated in experiments using compartmented cultures of hippocampal neurons. Neurites in modified Campenot chambers displayed morphological signs of degeneration, including beading or blebbing, when exposed to bgr -amyloid. At short time points neurite degeneration was limited to the distal portions of neurites directly exposed to bgr -amyloid. Furthermore, annexin V binding detected extracellular exposure of phosphatidylserine in portions of neurites directly exposed to apoptotic insults. Pretreatment of the cultures with zVAD-fmk blocked annexin V binding induced by bgr -amyloid and concanavalin A, suggesting that caspase activity was required. Caspase activation was also visualized in neurites locally exposed to apoptotic insults. Together these results show that apoptotic insults cause local neurite degeneration which displays morphological and biochemical characteristics of apoptosis and suggest that neurite degeneration may use mechanisms common to apoptosis. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, 92697

Publication date: 1998-11-01