Release of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from beta-amyloid plaques assemblies improves the spatial memory impairments in APP-transgenic mice

Chem Biol Interact. 2008 Sep 25;175(1-3):142-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2008.05.026. Epub 2008 May 27.

Abstract

The major protein constituent of amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the amyloid-beta-peptide (Abeta). Amyloid deposits contain "chaperone molecules" which play critical roles in amyloid formation and toxicity. In the present work, we test an analog of hyperforin (IDN 5706) which releases the AChE from both the Abeta fibrils and the AChE-Abeta burdens in transgenic mice. Hyperforin is an acylphloroglucinol compound isolated from Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort), which is able to prevent the Abeta-induced spatial memory impairments and Abeta neurotoxicity. Altogether this gathered evidence indicates the important role of AChE in the neurotoxicity of Abeta plaques and finding new compounds which decrease the AChE-Abeta interaction may be a putative therapeutic agent to fight the disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / genetics
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Memory Disorders / enzymology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Acetylcholinesterase