Johnstone M, Gearing AJ, Miller KM. A central role for astrocytes in the inflammatory response to beta-amyloid; chemokines, cytokines and reactive oxygen species are produced.
J Neuroimmunol 1999;
93:182-93. [PMID:
10378882 DOI:
10.1016/s0165-5728(98)00226-4]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 240] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the commonest form of adult onset dementia and is characterised neuropathologically by the accumulation of plaques containing beta-amyloid (A beta) fibrils, reactive astrocytes, activated microglia, and leukocytes. A beta plays a role in the pathology of AD by directly causing neuronal cytotoxicity and stimulating microglia to secrete cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which also damage neurons. Here, we demonstrate that A beta activates astrocytes and oligodendrocytes (the most common cell types in the brain) to produce chemokines, in particular MCP-1 and RANTES, which serve as potent in vitro microglial and macrophage chemoattractants. Furthermore, we have shown that A beta activates astrocytes to upregulate pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and enhances the production of ROS. We propose therefore that A beta-mediated astrocyte activation initiates an inflammatory cascade which could be targeted for therapeutic intervention in AD.
Collapse