Shuttling protein nucleolin is a microglia receptor for amyloid beta peptide 1-42.

Amyloid-beta peptide 1-42 (Aβ42) plays a key role in the neurotoxicity found in Alzheimer's disease. Mononuclear phagocytes in the brain (microglia), can potentially clear Aβ via phagocytosis. Recently, the shuttling-protein nucleolin has been shown to possess scavenger receptor-activity. Here, we investigated whether this receptor interacts specifically with Aβ type 1-42 and mediates its phagocytosis by microglia. While monomeric and fibril Aβ42 were phagocytosed by mouse microglial EOC2 cells, amyloid β peptide 1-40 (Aβ40) was only weakly phagocytosed. Surface plasmon-resonance analysis revealed that nucleolin strongly associates with Aβ42, but only weakly associates with Aβ40. Immunofluorescence staining of anti-nucleolin antibody revealed that EOC2 cells and rat primary microglia express nucleolin on their cell surfaces. Further, pretreating EOC2 cells with anti-nucleolin antibody, but not immunoglobulin G (IgG), inhibited phagocytosis of monomeric Aβ42 by microglia. Additionally, nucleolin-transfected HEK293 cells phagocytosed monomeric and fibril Aβ42 but not monomeric and fibril Aβ40. Moreover, AGRO, a nucleolin-specific oligonucleotide aptamer, inhibited phagocytosis of monomeric and fibril Aβ42, but not monomeric and fibril Aβ40. These results indicate that nucleolin is a receptor that allows microglia to recognize monomeric and fibril Aβ42.