Abstract
Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with vascular risk factors; brain ischemia facilitates the
pathogenesis of AD. Recent studies have suggested that the reduction of AD risk with statin was achieved by
decreased amyloidogenic amyloid precursor protein.
Methods: We used mitochondrial transgenic neuronal cell (cybrid) models to investigate changes in the levels of
intracellular hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE) in the
presence of simvastatin. Sporadic AD (SAD) and age-matched control (CTL) cybrids were exposed to 2 % O2 and
incubated with 1 μM or 10 μM simvastatin.
Results: There was no significant difference between cell survival by 1 or 10 μM simvastatin in both SAD and CTL
cybrids. In the presence of 1 μM simvastatin, intracellular levels of HIF-1α and BACE decreased by 40–70 % in SAD, but
not CTL cybrids. However, 10 μM simvastatin increased HIF-1α and BACE expression in both cybrid models.
Conclusion: Our results suggest demonstrate differential dose-dependent effects of simvastatin on HIF-1α and BACE in
cultured Alzheimer’s disease cybrid cells.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Cybrid cell, Statin, Hypoxia, HIF-1α, BACE