A prion-derived peptide successfully reduced the intracellular levels of ROS and Ca۲+ in neuroblastoma cells after treatment with Aβ۴۲ oligomers

Background and Aim : Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia caused by accumulation of senile plaques formed by AB. Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a membrane protein and that has a high binding affinity for Aβ۴۲ oligomers. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca۲+ were investigated in human neuroblastoma cells after treatment with Aβ۴۲ oligomers (ADDLs) in presence and absence of short prion-derived peptide.Methods : SH-SY۵Y neuroblastoma cells were seeded on glass coverslip in ۶ well plates. After ۲۴ h, ۶۰۰ μl of various samples were added to cells and after washing, cells loaded with Fluo-۴ AM and CM-H۲DFDA specific probe for Ca۲+ and ROS, respectively. Cell image acquisition was performed using the TCS SP۸ confocal system and analysis was done using Image J software.Results : The quantification of the intracellular Ca۲+ and ROS derived fluorescence shows that the treatment of the cells with A?۴۲ ADDLs causes an increase of intracellular Ca۲+ and ROS compared with untreated cells and when cells were treated with A?۴۲ ADDLs + synthetic peptides ROS and Ca۲+ levels were significantly lower than those observed after treatment with A?۴۲ ADDLs alone.Conclusion : The present study shows the synthetic peptide can effectively protect the SH-SY۵Y cells against the oxidative stress and Ca۲+ influx induced by Aβ۴۲ ADDLs and has potential therapeutic value for the treatment of AD.

Keywords:

Prion protein , AB oligomer , Alzheimer's disease , ADDLs