A role for amyloid-β in Alzheimer's pathology : evidence from cellular, animal and pre-clinical studies

Abstract

One of the well-documented histopathological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the progressive accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) within the brain, thought to result from inefficient clearance of Aβ by phagocytes and/or increased processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP). While neuroinflammatory changes, largely mediated by glial cells, are believed to be intricately involved in the pathogenesis of this chronic neurodegenerative disorder, the effect of inflammation on Aβ clearance remains to be firmly established. One of the primary objectives of this study was to assess the impact of exogenous and endogenous Aβ on microglia and astrocytes both in vitro and in vivo, with a specific interest in analysing its effect on astrocytes.