Temperature influence on Tau phosphorilation and cell viability in SH-SY5Y cells.
In Alzheimer's disease there are two major histopathological markers, which are beta amyloid senile plaques and tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Under normal conditions, tau protein is regulated by a phosphorylation and dephosphorylation dynamics which is influenced by temperature, so that low temperatures favor phosphorylation. Recent studies have shown that cold temperatures may be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease, but better understanding of this mechanism is of great importance, since elderly who are the most susceptible to the disease have difficulties in maintaining the body temperature. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the influence of temperature on tau protein phosphorylation levels, as well as cell viability, using the SH-SY5Y primary cell culture model exposed to different temperatures and camptothecin (1µM) treatment. Our preliminary results suggest that the temperature itself is not enough to alter cell viability, but induces tau protein phosphorylation, however the results with camptothecin suggest that low temperatures have a protective effect on these cells.