Prevention and treatment of amyloid-associated disorders

Abstract

The present invention provides assays to identify compounds that affect microglial cell activation, and specifically assays to identify compounds that affect secretion of cytokines from these microglial cells by modulating PGE 2 -mediated activity. The assays of the invention include assays for testing microglial cell activation by contacting microglia with compounds that modulate β-amyloid PGE 2 -mediated activation, which can be identified by cellular activity such as secretion of cytokines, e.g., TNF-α and IL-1α,. The effect of the candidate compound can be determined by comparing the effect with a control culture which is not contacted with the compound, or by comparing the effect with a standardized profile.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . An assay comprising: 
 a) cultured microglial cells;    b) Aβ peptide; and    c) a prostaglandin.    
     
     
         23 . The assay of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 d) a test compound.    
     
     
         24 . The assay of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 d) cultured astrocyte cells.    
     
     
         25 . The assay of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 d) indomethacin.    
     
     
         26 . The assay of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 d) a PGE 2  receptor antagonist.    
     
     
         27 . The assay of  claim 22 , wherein said Aβ peptide is exogenous to said cultured microglial cell.  
     
     
         28 . The assay of  claim 22 , wherein said prostaglandin is exogenous to said cultured microglial cell.  
     
     
         29 . The assay of  claim 22 , wherein said prostaglandin is PGE 2 .