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Glucocorticoids trigger Alzheimer disease-like pathobiochemistry in rat neuronal cells expressing human tau
Sotiropoulos I, Catania C, Riedemann T, Fry JP, Breen KC, Michaelidis TM, Almeida OF.. Journal of neurochemistry, 2008-09-02
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) mis-processing and aberrant tau hyperphosphorylation are causally related to the pathogenesis and neurodegenerative processes that characterize Alzheimer's disease (AD). Abnormal APP metabolism leads to the generation of neurotoxic amyloid beta (Abeta), whereas tau hyperphosphorylation culminates in cytoskeletal disturbances, neuronal dysfunction and death. Many AD patients hypersecrete glucocorticoids (GC) while neuronal structure, function and survival are adversely influenced by elevated GC levels.
Key findings
- Abnormal APP metabolism leads to the generation of neurotoxic amyloid beta (Abeta), whereas tau hyperphosphorylation culminates in cytoskeletal disturbances, neuronal dysfunction and death.
- Many AD patients hypersecrete glucocorticoids (GC) while neuronal structure, function and survival are adversely influenced by elevated GC levels.
- We report here that a rat neuronal cell line (PC12) engineered to express the human ortholog of the tau protein (PC12-htau) becomes more vulnerable to the toxic effects of either Abeta or GC treatment.
- Importantly, APP metabolism in GC-treated PC12-htau cells is selectively shifted towards increased production of the pro-amyloidogenic peptide C99.
Why it matters
In a rat neuronal cell line expressing human tau, glucocorticoids triggered Alzheimer's-like changes including abnormal amyloid precursor protein processing and tau hyperphosphorylation. This is cell-based work on a possible contributing factor and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurochemistry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Neurochemistry: journal h-index 349 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2008 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “rat”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 97 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.8 citations a year over 20 year(s) since 2008 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 12 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Osborne F. X. Almeida: h-index 70 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 18691381) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Sotiropoulos, I., Catania, C., Riedemann, T., Fry, J. P., Breen, K. C., Michaelidis, T. M., et al. (2008). Glucocorticoids trigger Alzheimer disease-like pathobiochemistry in rat neuronal cells expressing human tau. Journal of neurochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05613.x
Vancouver
Sotiropoulos I, Catania C, Riedemann T, Fry JP, Breen KC, Michaelidis TM, et al. Glucocorticoids trigger Alzheimer disease-like pathobiochemistry in rat neuronal cells expressing human tau. Journal of neurochemistry. 2008. doi:10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05613.x. PMID: 18691381.
BibTeX
@article{sotiropoulos2008-18691381,
author = {Sotiropoulos, I. and Catania, C. and Riedemann, T. and Fry, J. P. and Breen, K. C. and Michaelidis, T. M. and Almeida, O. F.},
title = {{Glucocorticoids trigger Alzheimer disease-like pathobiochemistry in rat neuronal cells expressing human tau}},
journal = {Journal of neurochemistry},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05613.x},
pmid = {18691381},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05613.x}
}
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