The relationship between cholesterol and Tau protein expression in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells

Abstract

Microtubule associated Tau protein is one of pathogenic factors of Alzheimer???s disease (AD) since phosphorylated Tau protein accumulation is found inside neurons in AD brains.?? Recently, some reports revealed the direct linkage between apolipoprotein E cholesterol and Tau protein phosphorylation and polymerization in vivo.?? This work aimed to study the relationship between cholesterol and Tau protein expression in neurons.?? The human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were grown in a cholesterol-containing medium for either two or four days.?? Total proteins were extracted and immunoblotted with an anti-Tau antibody.?? Cholesterol had not altered the Tau expression in the two-day treatment, but diminished Tau expression occurred with increased cholesterol concentration in the four-day treatment.?? This finding may contribute to basic knowledge about pathogenesis caused by cholesterol in Alzheimer???s disease