Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 238, Issues 1–2, 28 November 1997, Pages 17-20
Neuroscience Letters

Tumor necrosis factor α augments amyloid β protein (25–35) induced apoptosis in human cells

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(97)00845-8Get rights and content

Abstract

No information is yet available on the effect of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) on amyloid β protein (Aβ)-induced cytotoxicity in human cells. For this reason the induction of apoptosis by TNFα and Aβ (25–35) was studied in primary cultures of human thyroid and kidney cells as well as in the neuroblastoma line SK-N-SH and in DU-145 cells. Apoptosis occurred in all cell types after Aβ (25–35) treatment, but was markedly enhanced when TNFα was additionally present. This effect was less pronounced in transformed cell lines than in primary cultures, in which TNFα on its own was not cytotoxic. Apoptosis was still more prevalent under serum free culture conditions. The results demonstrate that TNFα may support the occurrence of Aβ-mediated cell death and thus contribute to the development of pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant of the Austrian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology as well as by the `Hans und Blanca Moser Stiftung', Vienna, Austria. We are also grateful to G. Wick for his continuous support and G. Adolf (Bender, Vienna, Austria) for kindly providing TNFα.

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