Oral Administration of a Fusion Protein between the Cholera Toxin B Subunit and the 42-Amino Acid Isoform of Amyloid-[beta] Peptide Produced in Silkworm Pupae Protects against Alzheimer's Disease in Mice

A key molecule in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a 42-amino acid isoform of the amyloid-[beta] peptide (A[beta]42), which is the most toxic element of senile plaques. In this study, to develop an edible, safe, low-cost vaccine for AD, a cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-A[beta]42 f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2014-12, Vol.9 (12)
Main Authors: Li, Si, Wei, Zhen, Chen, Jian, Chen, Yanhong, Lv, Zhengbing, Yu, Wei, Meng, Qiaohong, Jin, Yongfeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alzheimer's disease
Amino acids
Cholera
Cholera toxin
Genetic engineering
Peptides
Vaccines
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Summary:A key molecule in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a 42-amino acid isoform of the amyloid-[beta] peptide (A[beta]42), which is the most toxic element of senile plaques. In this study, to develop an edible, safe, low-cost vaccine for AD, a cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-A[beta]42 fusion protein was successfully expressed in silkworm pupae. We tested the silkworm pupae-derived oral vaccination containing CTB-A[beta]42 in a transgenic mouse model of AD. Anti-A[beta]42 antibodies were induced in these mice, leading to a decreased A[beta] deposition in the brain. We also found that the oral administration of the silk worm pupae vaccine improved the memory and cognition of mice, as assessed using a water maze test. These results suggest that the new edible CTB-A[beta]42 silkworm pupae-derived vaccine has potential clinical application in the prevention of AD.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0113585