Neuron Specific Toxicity of Oligomeric Amyloid-beta: Role for JUN-Kinase and Oxidative Stress

Recent studies have demonstrated a potential role for oligomeric forms of amyloid-beta (A beta) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), although it remains unclear which aspects of AD may be mediated by oligomeric A beta. In the present study, we found that primary cultures of rat cortical neurons exhibit a dose-dependent increase in cell death following A beta oligomer administration, while primary cultures of astrocytes exhibited no overt toxicity with even the highest concentrations of oligomer treatment. Neither cell type exhibited toxicity when treated by equal concentrations of monomeric A beta. The neuron death induced by oligomer treatment was associated with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), altered expression of mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins, and JUN kinase activation. Pharmacological inhibition of JUN kinase ameliorated oligomeric A beta toxicity in neurons. These data indicate that oligomeric A beta is sufficient to selectively induce toxicity in neurons, but not astrocytes, with neuron death occurring in a JUN kinase-dependent manner. Additionally, these observations implicate a role for oligomeric A beta as a contributor to neuronal oxidative stress and mitochondrial disturbances in AD.