Dysregulation of Amyloid-β Protein Precursor, β-Secretase, Presenilin 1 and 2 Genes in the Rat Selectively Vulnerable CA1 Subfield of Hippocampus Following Transient Global Brain Ischemia

The interaction between brain ischemia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been intensively investigated recently. Nevertheless, we have not yet understood the nature and mechanisms of the ischemic episodes triggering the onset of AD and how they influence its slow progression. The assumed connection between brain ischemia and the accumulation of amyloid-beta (A beta) peptide awaits to be clearly explained. In our research, we employed a rat cardiac arrest model to study the changes in gene expression of amyloid-beta protein precursor (A beta PP) and its cleaving enzymes, beta- and gamma-secretases (including presenilins) in hippocampal CA1 sector, following transient 10-min global brain ischemia. The quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR assay demonstrated that the expression of all above genes that contribute to A beta peptide generation was dysregulated during 30 days in postischemic hippocampal CA1 area. It suggests that studied A beta peptide generation-related genes can be involved in A beta PP metabolism, following global brain ischemia and will be useful to identify the molecular mechanisms underpinning