Using optical profilometry to characterize cell membrane roughness influenced by amyloid-beta 42 aggregates and electric fields

J Biomed Opt. 2014 Jan;19(1):011009. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.19.1.011009.

Abstract

The membrane roughness of Neuro-2a neroblastoma cells is measured by using noninterferometric wide-field optical profilometry. The cells are treated with the fibril and oligomer conformers of amyloid-beta (Aβ) 42, which is a peptide of 42 amino acids related to the development of Alzheimer's disease. We find that both the Aβ42 fibrils and Aβ42 oligomers reduced the cell membrane roughness, but the effect of Aβ42 oligomers was faster and stronger than that of the fibrils. We also apply direct-current electric field (dcEF) stimulations on the cells. A dcEF of 300 mV/mm can increase the membrane roughness under the treatment of Aβ42. These results suggest that Aβ42 can decrease the membrane compliance of live neuroblastoma cells, and dcEFs may counteract this effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / chemistry*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cell Membrane / radiation effects
  • Electricity
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Optical Imaging / methods*
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)