Figure 2

Independently-generated sNEP-NSCs degrade Aβ and resist Aβ-induced toxicity. (A-B) Immunohistochemcial labelling confirms high levels of neprilysin expression within lentiviral-transduced NSCs and a significant reduction in Aβ levels (P = 0.03) following treatment with recombinant protein (C). No changes are observed in nestin expression (D-E). However, lactate dehydrogenase quantification reveals that sNEP-NSCs are significantly protected from Aβ-induced toxicity (F). Furthermore, activation of caspase-3, an indication of apoptosis, is enhanced following Aβ treatment of control NSCs (G-H) but unaltered following treatment of sNEP-NSCs as detected by an anti-active caspase-3 neoepitope antibody (I-J), quantified in (K). N = 3 wells/group. Error bars represent standard error of the mean (SEM). Scale Bar = 30 μm in A-B, 15 μm in D-E, 25 μm in G-J. Aβ, beta- amyloid; NSCs, neural stem cells; sNEP, secreted neprilysin.