CELLULAR tests

  • Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. It is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by an extracellular accumulation of neurotoxic fibrillar amyloid beta peptide (Aβ). Compelling evidences indicate the extracellular accumulation of Aβ is already present at the asymptomatic (preclinical) stage of AD. Thus, early intervention to prevent Aβ accumulation appear as attractive strategies for AD treatment.


    New functional assay for Amyloid lowering drugs

    NEUROFIT has developed a functional neuronal assay that accumulates extracellular Aβ. The system is tailored to assess the efficiency of Aβ lowering drugs such as BACE inhibitors. In parallel, the assay provides also information about the potential safety or neurotoxicity of the tested drug.

  • BACE inhibitor screening assay


    The example below illustrates the inhibition of Aβ production by BMS-299897 (γ-secretase inhibitor) in cultures of hippocampal neurons (Left Panel). The Right panel indicates that BMS-299897 becomes neurotoxic at concentration ≥ 300 nM.


    BMS-299897

  • *** statistically significant as compared to the Control.

    Inhibition of production of Aβ1-42 by BMS-299897 in cultures of hippocampal neurons.
  • ** statistically significant as compared to the Control.

    Effect of BMS-299897 on the survival of hippocampal neurons in cultures.


Ask for more information

You could also be interested in



  • Viability and survival test

    This test exploits the natural tendency of cells to die in culture and is used to assess the neuroprotective properties of compounds.


    T-Maze

    The T-Maze continuous alternation task (T-CAT) is among the method implemented to evaluate the spatial exploratory performance in mice.


    Brain inflammation

    Astrocytes and microglia are key players in neuroinflammation since they release wide variety of proinflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide, cytokines and chemokines.

  • Amyloid β (animal model)

    Amyloid-β i.c.v injection induces learning deficits and a dysfunction of the cholinergic system.


    Aged mice

    This model is probably the most representative of the human Alzheimer's disease.


    Scopolamine

    Scopolamine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist is widely used to induce cognitive / memory impairment in clinical research.