The human astrocytoma cell line U373MG produces monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 upon stimulation with β-amyloid protein

Astrocytes associated with beta-amyloid (A beta) accumulate in senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease (AD). To investigate the biological effects of A beta/astrocyte interaction, we examined chemokine production by the human astrocytoma cell line U373MG stimulated with A beta peptides. Northern blot analysis and specific immunoassays demonstrate that A beta [1-42] and A beta [25-35] induce mRNA expression and release of monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 but not of gamma-interferon inducible protein (IP)-10 by U373MG cells. The observation that A beta induces astrocyte production of the potent microglia chemoattractant MCP-1 contributes to understanding mechanism of damage exerted by A beta in AD senile plaques. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.