Cholesterol Depletion Reduces the Internalization of β-Amyloid Peptide in SH-SY5Y Cells

Deposition of amyloid in the brain is a critical step in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. The endocytosis of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is an important factor among the many factors that contribute to the genesis of amyloid deposits. Since cholesterol participates in many important physiological processes, the present work investigated the relationship between the cellular cholesterol content and the endocytosis of the exogenic Aβ, and found that reduction of the cholesterol content by methyl-β-cyclodextrin could reduce the endocytosis of Aβ. The study indicates that the endocytosis of Aβ is partly mediated by cholesterol.