Journal
FASEB JOURNAL
Volume 18, Issue 13, Pages 85-+Publisher
FEDERATION AMER SOC EXP BIOL
DOI: 10.1096/fj.04-1807fje
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease; arachidonic acid
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Recent data have revealed that soluble oligomeric forms of amyloid peptide (Abeta) may be the proximate effectors of the neuronal injury and death occurring in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanisms associated with the neuronal cell death induced by the nonfibrillar Abeta remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of the cytosolic Ca2+-dependent phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)), and its associated metabolic pathway, i.e., the arachidonic acid (AA) cascade, in the apoptotic cell death induced by soluble oligomers of Abeta. The treatment of rat cortical neurons with low concentrations of soluble Abeta (1-40) or Abeta (1-42) peptide resulted in an early calcium-dependent release of AA associated with a transient relocalization of cPLA(2). Both cPLA(2) antisense oligonucleotides and a selective inhibitor of cPLA2 activity abolished the release of AA from neurons and also protected cells against apoptosis induced by Abeta. Furthermore, inhibitors of the PKC, p38, and MEK/ERK pathways that are involved in cPLA(2) phosphorylation and activation reduced Abeta-induced cell death. Finally, we demonstrate that inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 reduced the Abeta-induced cell death by 55%. Our studies suggest a novel neuronal response of soluble oligomers of Abeta, which occurs through a cPLA(2) signaling cascade and an AA-dependent death pathway. This may prove to be crucial in AD processes and could provide important targets for drug development.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available