RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Green Tea Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) Modulates Amyloid Precursor Protein Cleavage and Reduces Cerebral Amyloidosis in Alzheimer Transgenic Mice JF The Journal of Neuroscience JO J. Neurosci. FD Society for Neuroscience SP 8807 OP 8814 DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1521-05.2005 VO 25 IS 38 A1 Rezai-Zadeh, Kavon A1 Shytle, Doug A1 Sun, Nan A1 Mori, Takashi A1 Hou, Huayan A1 Jeanniton, Deborah A1 Ehrhart, Jared A1 Townsend, Kirk A1 Zeng, Jin A1 Morgan, David A1 Hardy, John A1 Town, Terrence A1 Tan, Jun YR 2005 UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/25/38/8807.abstract AB Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder pathologically characterized by deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides as senile plaques in the brain. Recent studies suggest that green tea flavonoids may be used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report that (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the main polyphenolic constituent of green tea, reduces Aβ generation in both murine neuron-like cells (N2a) transfected with the human “Swedish” mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP) and in primary neurons derived from Swedish mutant APP-overexpressing mice (Tg APPsw line 2576). In concert with these observations, we find that EGCG markedly promotes cleavage of the α-C-terminal fragment of APP and elevates the N-terminal APP cleavage product, soluble APP-α. These cleavage events are associated with elevated α-secretase activity and enhanced hydrolysis of tumor necrosis factor α-converting enzyme, a primary candidate α-secretase. As a validation of these findings in vivo, we treated Tg APPsw transgenic mice overproducing Aβ with EGCG and found decreased Aβ levels and plaques associated with promotion of the nonamyloidogenic α-secretase proteolytic pathway. These data raise the possibility that EGCG dietary supplementation may provide effective prophylaxis for AD.