Overexpression of acetylcholinesterase inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in NRK cells.

Aim: To study the potential function of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in apoptosis through overexpression of AChE in Normal Rat Kidney (NRK) cells.

Methods: AChE activity was detected by the method of Karnovsky and Roots. Activated caspase-3 was analyzed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence with antibody special to activated caspase-3 fragment.

Isolation of acetylcholinesterase from apoptotic human lung fibroblast cells by antibody affinity chromatography.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC3.1.1.

Increased expression of intranuclear AChE involved in apoptosis of SK-N-SH cells.

Programmed cell death plays an integral role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was suggested to be neurotoxic in vivo and in vitro and accelerate assembly of amyloid peptide into Alzheimer's fibrils. In our experiments, we found increased AChE expression in apoptotic neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells after long-term culture.