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Updated: May 2, 2026

A Novel In Vitro Live-imaging Assay of Astrocyte-mediated Phagocytosis Using pH Indicator-conjugated Synaptosomes
Published on: February 5, 2018
Dynein dysfunction disrupts β-amyloid clearance in astrocytes through endocytic disturbances
Nobuyuki Kimura1, Sachi Okabayashi, Fumiko Ono
1aSection of Cell Biology and Pathology, Department of Alzheimer's Disease Research, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi bTsukuba Primate Research Center, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation cThe Corporation for Production and Research of Laboratory Primates, Tsukuba, Japan.
Abstract:
We showed previously that aging attenuates the interaction between dynein-dynactin complexes in cynomolgus monkey brain and that dynein dysfunction reproduces age-dependent endocytic disturbances, resulting in intracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation, synaptic vesicle transport deficits, and neuritic swelling. It remains unclear whether such endocytic disturbances also occur in glial cells. Here, we show that endocytic pathology, such as intracellular accumulation of enlarged endosomes, occurs in astrocytes of aged monkey brains. Also, Aβ accumulates in these enlarged endosomes. RNA interference studies have shown that dynein dysfunction reproduces astroglial endocytic pathology and disrupts Aβ clearance in astrocytes through endocytic disturbances. These findings suggest that endocytic disturbances can alter astroglial functions and may also be involved in age-dependent Aβ pathology.
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