Label-Free Detection of Cellular Aβ Accumulation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in AD Cell Models via Raman Microscopy

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurocognitive disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in senile plaques in the brain. Aβ accumulates in nerve cells, causing cellular dysfunction through various mechanisms, including mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to apoptosis. AD cell models are being studied to elucidate the neurotoxic effect of Aβ; however, conventional methods such as immunostaining and fluorescent molecular labeling require extensive sample manipulation and may produce artifacts not reflective of natural states. In this study, we employed Raman microscopy on AD cell models and simultaneously detected Aβ accumulated in cells and associated mitochondrial dysfunction through cytochrome distribution changes. This label-free method enables the observation of AD cell models in a more natural state and is expected to contribute to elucidating the mechanism of cell damage caused by Aβ. Furthermore, applying this system to experiments involving Aβ inhibitor administration enables rapid, label-free evaluation of drug activity, which is highly valuable in drug development.