Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 79 (3), 393-396 (1999)


Effects of Nicotinic Receptor Agonists on Beta-Amyloid Beta-Sheet Formation

Takeshi Kihara (1), Shun Shimohama (1,*) and Akinori Akaike (2)


(1) Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
(2) Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
(*) To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Abstract: Previously we demonstrated that nicotinic acetylcholine receptor stimulation protects neurons against beta-amyloid (Abeta)-induced cytotoxicity. In the present study, the effects of nicotinic receptor agonists on the beta-sheet formation were investigated using a thioflavin T (ThT)-based fluorescence assay. Nicotine, cytisine (an alpha4beta2 agonist), and 3-(2,4)-dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine (DMXB, an alpha7 agonist) did not reduce fluorescence intensity when these agents were added to the beta-sheet-formed Abeta. Simultaneous incubation of Abeta with nicotinic agonists also did not cause a reduction in fluorescence intensity. This data suggests that nicotinic receptor agonists do not influence the formation of the beta-sheet structure.

Keywords: Beta-amyloid, Beta-sheet, Nicotine


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1999

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