The main component of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in Alzheimer’s disease is the amyloid-b protein (Ab), a 4-kDa polypeptide derived from the b-amyloid protein precursor (APP). The accumulation of Ab in the basement membrane has been implicated in the degeneration of adjacent vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). However, the mechanism of Ab toxicity is still unclear. In this study, we examined the effect of substrate-bound Ab on VSMC in culture. The use of substrate-bound proteins in cell culture mimics presentation of the proteins to cells as if bound to the basement membrane. Substrate-bound Ab peptides were found to be toxic.
