Influence of beta-amyloid fibrils on the interactions between red blood cells and endothelial cells

AbstractAlzheimer's disease is associated with vascular amyloidosis. As blood flows through the microcirculation, red blood cells (RBCs) come in contact with the vasculature. RBCs as well as endothelial cells (ECs) are known to bind beta amyloid fibrils. This suggests that a potential effect of amyloidosis may involve the interactions of RBCs with ECs lining the wall of the blood vessels mediated by amyloid fibrils. We have studied the effect of β-amyloid peptide[1–40] (Aβ1–40) fibrils on the interactions of murine RBCs with ECs derived from bovine lung microvascular endothelium (BLMVEC) as well as bovine pulmonary arterial endothelium (BPAEC) in culture. We show that the initial incorporation of Aβ fibrils onto either RBCs or ECs cause RBCs to adhere to the ECs with greater affinity for the microvascular cells than the arterial cells. In addition, there is a transfer of Aβ fibrils between the RBCs and the ECs. Both the transfer and adhesion occurs when the amyloid fibrils are on the ECs or on the RBCs. H...