TY - JOUR
T1 - Beta-amyloid deposition and Alzheimer's type changes induced by Borrelia spirochetes
AU - Miklossy, Judith
AU - Kis, Andras
AU - Radenovic, Alexandra
AU - Miller, Lisa
AU - Forro, Laszlo
AU - Martins, Ralph
AU - Reiss, Krzysztof
AU - Darbinian, Nune
AU - Darekar, Pushpa
AU - Mihaly, Laszlo
AU - Khalili, Kamel
PY - 2006/2
Y1 - 2006/2
N2 - The pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) consist of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in affected brain areas. The processes, which drive this host reaction are unknown. To determine whether an analogous host reaction to that occurring in AD could be induced by infectious agents, we exposed mammalian glial and neuronal cells in vitro to Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes and to the inflammatory bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Morphological changes analogous to the amyloid deposits of AD brain were observed following 2-8 weeks of exposure to the spirochetes. Increased levels of β-amyloid presursor protein (AβPP) and hyperphosphorylated tau were also detected by Western blots of extracts of cultured cells that had been treated with spirochetes or LPS. These observations indicate that, by exposure to bacteria or to their toxic products, host responses similar in nature to those observed in AD may be induced.
AB - The pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) consist of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in affected brain areas. The processes, which drive this host reaction are unknown. To determine whether an analogous host reaction to that occurring in AD could be induced by infectious agents, we exposed mammalian glial and neuronal cells in vitro to Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes and to the inflammatory bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Morphological changes analogous to the amyloid deposits of AD brain were observed following 2-8 weeks of exposure to the spirochetes. Increased levels of β-amyloid presursor protein (AβPP) and hyperphosphorylated tau were also detected by Western blots of extracts of cultured cells that had been treated with spirochetes or LPS. These observations indicate that, by exposure to bacteria or to their toxic products, host responses similar in nature to those observed in AD may be induced.
KW - Alzheimer's disease
KW - Amyloid precursor protein
KW - Granulovacuolar degeneration
KW - Hyperphosphorylated tau
KW - Neurofibrillary tangles
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=29844446594&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.01.018
DO - 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.01.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 15894409
AN - SCOPUS:29844446594
SN - 0197-4580
VL - 27
SP - 228
EP - 236
JO - Neurobiology of Aging
JF - Neurobiology of Aging
IS - 2
ER -