Neuronal spreading and plaque induction of intracellular Aß and its disruption of Aß homeostasis.

The amyloid-beta peptide (Aß) is thought to have prion-like properties promoting its spread throughout the brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the cellular mechanism(s) of this spread remains unclear. Here, we show an important role of intracellular Aß in its prion-like spread. We demonstrate that an intracellular source of Aß can induce amyloid plaques in vivo via hippocampal injection. We show that hippocampal injection of mouse AD brain homogenate not only induces plaques, but also damages interneurons and affects intracellular Aß levels in synaptically connected brain areas, paralleling cellular changes seen in AD. Furthermore, in a primary neuron AD model, exposure of picomolar amounts of brain-derived Aß leads to an apparent redistribution of Aß from soma to processes and dystrophic neurites. We also observe that such neuritic dystrophies associate with plaque formation in AD-transgenic mice. Finally, using cellular models, we propose a mechanism for how intracellular accumulation of Aß disturbs homeostatic control of Aß levels and can contribute to the up to 10,000-fold increase of Aß in the AD brain. Our data indicate an essential role for intracellular prion-like Aß and its synaptic spread in the pathogenesis of AD.

Application of quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction for measurements of mRNA from antioxidative enzymes in the diabetic rat retina and kidney.

This present study applied quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction (QC-PCR) in the analyses of mRNA expression of the endogenous antioxidative enzymes CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD), MnSOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in tissue samples from the retina and kidney cortex of diabetic rats. RNA was extracted from snap-frozen retinas and pieces of the kidney cortex of male Wistar rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes and control rats. The mRNA levels were analyzed using QC-PCR. The animals were kept in the laboratory for 1 and 6 months, respectively, and fed a normal or probucol- (1% wt/wt) enriched diet. By using QC-PCR, relative mRNA levels of all antioxidative enzymes could be estimated in the retina and kidney cortex. In the retina, the relative catalase mRNA concentration was about 1/10 that of the other enzymes. After 6 months of diabetes, there was a 100% increase of the catalase (median, 0.012 [range, 0.008 to 0.017] v 0.006 [0.005 to 0.010]; P =.011) and a 50% increase of the glutathione peroxidase mRNA levels (0.88 [0.44 to 1.12] v 0.52 [0.31 to 0.79]; P =.044). In the kidney cortex, the relative glutathione peroxidase mRNA level was 10 to 15 times higher, and catalase mRNA level about half of those of CuZnSOD and MnSOD. After 1 month of diabetes, there was an increase only of the glutathione peroxidase mRNA levels, by 170% (17.59 [6.19 to 29.49] v 6.96 [2.34 to 9.04]; P =.047). We conclude that quantification of mRNA can provide difficulties when the amount of sample RNA is limited and/or the gene expression is low. The present study shows QC-PCR to be useful as a tool for measuring expression of mRNA not only in the kidney cortex but also in small tissue samples like the retina. Our results indicate modestly increased mRNA expression of catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the retina and likewise modestly increased mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase in the kidney cortex of rats with STZ-induced diabetes. Extended studies, also including enzyme activities, are needed before any effect of hyperglycemia on the overall enzyme activity can be established.