JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments
Neuroscience
0 views • 1:24 min • August 7th, 2025
Take a transgenic Drosophila.
The brain of the Drosophila expresses the human amyloid peptide protein or APP and a cleaving enzyme.
The enzyme cleaves APP, enabling the formation of beta-amyloid plaque, which leads to
Alzheimer's disease or AD pathology in Drosophila.
Feed the Drosophila AD model a diet containing a synbiotic formulation.
The formulation contains a combination of three bioactive probiotic bacteria and a prebiotic.
Inside the fly's gut, the prebiotic supports the growth and survival of the probiotics.
Probiotics produce metabolites and mediators that communicate with the host brain through a pathway known as the gut-brain axis.
Within the host cell, these byproducts can activate a transcription factor that regulates multiple
biological processes, thereby influencing AD symptoms through the GBA.
Use various assays, such as survivability, motility, and beta-amyloid accumulation, to evaluate the effect of the synbiotic formulation on AD pathology.