Ultrastructural evidence of amyloid beta-induced autophagy in PC12 cells.

ABSTRACT

Herein we demonstrate that PC12 cells overexpress human amyloid beta precursor protein bearing double Swedish mutation(AbetaPPsw), showing the phenotype characteristic for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Examination of cells at ultrastructural level revealed the intracellular presence of peptide aggregates. Furthermore, autophagy induction was found to be a hallmark of amyloid beta-induced cytotoxicity. Importantly, autophagic vacuoles were co-localized within amyloid beta (Abeta) deposits. This suggests the involvement of autophagy in amyloid beta-elicited cell degeneration.