Transgenic potato expressing Aβ reduce Aβ burden in Alzheimer's disease mouse model

Beta amyloid (A beta) is believed one of the major pathogens of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the reduction of A beta is considered a primary therapeutic target. Immunization with A beta can reduce A beta burden and pathological features in transgenic AD model mice. Transgenic potato plants were made using genes encoding 5 tandem repeats of A beta 1-42 peptides with an ER retention signal. Amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice (Tg2576) fed with transgenic potato tubers with adjuvant showed a primary immune response and a partial reduction of A beta burden in the brain. Thus, A beta tandem repeats can be expressed in transgenic potato plants to form immunologically functional A beta, and these potatoes has a potential to be used for the prevention and treatment of AD. (c) 2005 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.