Spreading of Beta-Amyloid in Organotypic Mouse Brain Slices and Microglial Elimination and Effects on Cholinergic Neurons.

The extracellular deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) is one of the major characteristics in Alzheimer´s disease (AD). The "spreading hypothesis" suggests that a pathological protein (similar to prions) spreads over the entire brain. The aim of the present study was to use organotypic brain slices of postnatal day 8-10 mice. Using collagen hydrogels, we applied different Aβ peptides onto brain slices and analyzed spreading as well as glial reactions after eight weeks of incubation. Our data showed that from all tested Aβ peptides, human Aβ ₄₂ had the most potent activity to spread over into adjacent "target" areas. This effect was potentiated when brain slices from transgenic AD mice (APP_SweDI) were cultured. When different brain areas were connected to the "target slice" the spreading activity was more intense, originating from ventral striatum and brain stem. Reactive glial-fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrogliosis increased over time, but Aβ depositions co-localized only with Iba1+ microglia but not with astrocytes. Application of human Aβ ₄₂ did not cause a degeneration of cholinergic neurons. We concluded that human Aβ ₄₂ spreads over into other "target areas", causing activation of glial cells. Most of the spread Aβ ₄₂ was taken up by microglia, and thus toxic free Aβ could not damage cholinergic neurons.