Affiliations: [a] Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia | [b] Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Anna V. Kamynina, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul.~Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, 117997, Moscow, Russia. Tel.: +7 495 336 57 77; E-mail: aneskaminina@mail.ru.
Abstract: We studied the ability of four non-conjugated α7-subunit fragments of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor to induce an immune response and to protect memory in olfactory bulbectomized mice which demonstrate abnormalities similar to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Vaccination only with the α7-subunit fragment 173–193 was shown to rescue spatial memory, to restore the level of α7 acetylcholine receptors in the cortex, and to prevent an increase in the amyloid-β (Aβ) level in brain tissue in these animals. Antibodies against the peptide 173–193 were revealed in blood serum and cerebrospinal liquid in the bulbectomized mice. Passive immunization with mouse blood sera containing antibodies to the peptide 173–193 also restored memory in bulbectomized animals. The observed positive effect of both active and passive immunization with the fragment of α7-subunit on memory of bulbectomized mice provides a new insight into an anti-AD drug design.
Keywords: α7-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, Alzheimer's disease, amyloid-β, immunization, olfactory bulbectomized mice, peptide fragments, spatial memory
