A novel model of Amyloid-beta pathology in C. elegans reveals critically vulnerable neurons as seeds of pathogenicity

A novel model of amyloid-beta pathology in C. elegans has been generated which allows for substoichiometric fluorescent labeling of amyloid-beta species in living nematodes. By microscopy, FLIM, physiological and biochemical studies, the progress of neurodegeneration and general pathogenicity of amyloidogenic peptides is confirmed. Notably, a single set of neurons was shown to be most vulnerable to Amyloid-beta overexpression and putatively act as a seed for systemic pathogeny. A neuronal version of the amyloid-beta reporter strain was used to perform proteomics analysis from worm lysates after enrichment by immunoprecipitation, using anti-amyloid-beta antibodies.