A mathematical model for the effects of amyloid beta on intracellular calcium

PLoS One. 2018 Aug 22;13(8):e0202503. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202503. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The accumulation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated Amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers can trigger aberrant intracellular calcium (Ca2+) levels by disrupting the intrinsic Ca2+ regulatory mechanism within cells. These disruptions can cause changes in homeostasis levels that can have detrimental effects on cell function and survival. Although studies have shown that Aβ can interfere with various Ca2+ fluxes, the complexity of these interactions remains elusive. We have constructed a mathematical model that simulates Ca2+ patterns under the influence of Aβ. Our simulations shows that Aβ can increase regions of mixed-mode oscillations leading to aberrant signals under various conditions. We investigate how Aβ affects individual flux contributions through inositol triphosphate (IP3) receptors, ryanodine receptors, and membrane pores. We demonstrate that controlling for the ryanodine receptor's maximal kinetic reaction rate may provide a biophysical way of managing aberrant Ca2+ signals. The influence of a dynamic model for IP3 production is also investigated under various conditions as well as the impact of changes in membrane potential. Our model is one of the first to investigate the effects of Aβ on a variety of cellular mechanisms providing a base modeling scheme from which further studies can draw on to better understand Ca2+ regulation in an AD environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Calcium Signaling*
  • Humans
  • Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors / metabolism
  • Models, Biological*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

Research reported in this project was supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20GM103449. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIGMS or NIH. Part of this study was also funded by a Faculty Development grant from Norwich University.