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The common inhalation anesthetic isoflurane induces apoptosis and increases amyloid beta protein levels
Xie Z, Dong Y, Maeda U, Alfille P, Culley DJ, Crosby G, Tanzi RE.. Anesthesiology, 2006-05-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background The common inhalation anesthetic isoflurane has previously been reported to enhance the aggregation and cytotoxicity of the Alzheimer disease-associated amyloid beta protein (Abeta), the principal peptide component of cerebral beta-amyloid deposits. Methods H4 human neuroglioma cells stably transfected to express human full-length wild-type amyloid precursor protein (APP) were exposed to 2% isoflurane for 6 h. The cells and conditioned media were harvested at the end of the treatment.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Xie, Z., Dong, Y., Maeda, U., Alfille, P., Culley, D. J., Crosby, G., et al. (2006). The common inhalation anesthetic isoflurane induces apoptosis and increases amyloid beta protein levels. Anesthesiology. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000542-200605000-00015
Vancouver
Xie Z, Dong Y, Maeda U, Alfille P, Culley DJ, Crosby G, et al. The common inhalation anesthetic isoflurane induces apoptosis and increases amyloid beta protein levels. Anesthesiology. 2006. doi:10.1097/00000542-200605000-00015. PMID: 16645451.
BibTeX
@article{xie2006-16645451,
author = {Xie, Z. and Dong, Y. and Maeda, U. and Alfille, P. and Culley, D. J. and Crosby, G. and Tanzi, R. E.},
title = {{The common inhalation anesthetic isoflurane induces apoptosis and increases amyloid beta protein levels}},
journal = {Anesthesiology},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1097/00000542-200605000-00015},
pmid = {16645451},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/00000542-200605000-00015}
}
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.
Key findings
- Methods H4 human neuroglioma cells stably transfected to express human full-length wild-type amyloid precursor protein (APP) were exposed to 2% isoflurane for 6 h.
- The cells and conditioned media were harvested at the end of the treatment.
- Caspase-3 activation, processing of APP, cell viability, and Abeta levels were measured with quantitative Western blotting, cell viability kit, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay sandwich.
- The control condition consisted of 5% CO2 plus 21% O2 and balanced nitrogen, which did not affect caspase-3 activation, cell viability, APP processing, or Abeta generation.
Why it matters
In human neuroglioma cells, the anesthetic isoflurane caused apoptosis and increased amyloid beta levels. This is cell-based work and does not establish that isoflurane causes or worsens Alzheimer's disease in patients.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Anesthesiology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Anesthesiology: journal h-index 368 (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 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 304 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.8 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 19 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Rudolph E. Tanzi: h-index 145 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16645451) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
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