Reduced free ubiquitin levels and proteasome activity in cultured neurons and brain tissues treated with amyloid beta aggregates.

ABSTRACT: Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive cognitive decline and the loss of neurons in the central nervous system; many are also characterized by abnormal aggregation of misfolded proteins. Ubiquitin (Ub) is a eukaryotic protein that plays pivotal roles in protein degradation and cellular signaling. Ubiquitinated aggregates are observed in neurodegenerative diseases; this ultimately results in reduced levels of available or free Ub. However, it remains unclear whether neurotoxicity arises from the aggregates or a deficiency of free Ub. To investigate this, we treated primary neurons of mouse embryonic brains with amyloid beta (Aβ) 42 and found that free Ub levels were decreased and cell viability was reduced in Aβ42-treated neurons. As reduced levels of free Ub are closel

SUBMITTER: Park CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7281939 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature