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Boon BDC, Bulk M, Jonker AJ, Morrema THJ, van den Berg E, Popovic M, Walter J, Kumar S, van der Lee SJ, Holstege H, Zhu X, Van Nostrand WE, Natté R, van der Weerd L, Bouwman FH, van de Berg WDJ, Rozemuller AJM, Hoozemans JJM. The coarse-grained plaque: a divergent Aβ plaque-type in early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 2020; 140:811-830. [PMID: 32926214 PMCID: PMC7666300 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-020-02198-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposits, which come in myriad morphologies with varying clinical relevance. Previously, we observed an atypical Aβ deposit, referred to as the coarse-grained plaque. In this study, we evaluate the plaque's association with clinical disease and perform in-depth immunohistochemical and morphological characterization. The coarse-grained plaque, a relatively large (Ø ≈ 80 µm) deposit, characterized as having multiple cores and Aβ-devoid pores, was prominent in the neocortex. The plaque was semi-quantitatively scored in the middle frontal gyrus of Aβ-positive cases (n = 74), including non-demented cases (n = 15), early-onset (EO)AD (n = 38), and late-onset (LO)AD cases (n = 21). The coarse-grained plaque was only observed in cases with clinical dementia and more frequently present in EOAD compared to LOAD. This plaque was associated with a homozygous APOE ε4 status and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). In-depth characterization was done by studying the coarse-grained plaque's neuritic component (pTau, APP, PrPC), Aβ isoform composition (Aβ40, Aβ42, AβN3pE, pSer8Aβ), its neuroinflammatory component (C4b, CD68, MHC-II, GFAP), and its vascular attribution (laminin, collagen IV, norrin). The plaque was compared to the classic cored plaque, cotton wool plaque, and CAA. Similar to CAA but different from classic cored plaques, the coarse-grained plaque was predominantly composed of Aβ40. Furthermore, the coarse-grained plaque was distinctly associated with both intense neuroinflammation and vascular (capillary) pathology. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and 3D analysis revealed for most coarse-grained plaques a particular Aβ40 shell structure and a direct relation with vessels. Based on its morphological and biochemical characteristics, we conclude that the coarse-grained plaque is a divergent Aβ plaque-type associated with EOAD. Differences in Aβ processing and aggregation, neuroinflammatory response, and vascular clearance may presumably underlie the difference between coarse-grained plaques and other Aβ deposits. Disentangling specific Aβ deposits between AD subgroups may be important in the search for disease-mechanistic-based therapies.
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Crooks EJ, Irizarry BA, Ziliox M, Kawakami T, Victor T, Xu F, Hojo H, Chiu K, Simmerling C, Van Nostrand WE, Smith SO, Miller LM. Copper stabilizes antiparallel β-sheet fibrils of the amyloid β40 (Aβ40)-Iowa variant. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:8914-8927. [PMID: 32376688 PMCID: PMC7335782 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a vascular disorder that primarily involves deposition of the 40-residue-long β-amyloid peptide (Aβ40) in and along small blood vessels of the brain. CAA is often associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by amyloid plaques in the brain parenchyma enriched in the Aβ42 peptide. Several recent studies have suggested a structural origin that underlies the differences between the vascular amyloid deposits in CAA and the parenchymal plaques in AD. We previously have found that amyloid fibrils in vascular amyloid contain antiparallel β-sheet, whereas previous studies by other researchers have reported parallel β-sheet in fibrils from parenchymal amyloid. Using X-ray fluorescence microscopy, here we found that copper strongly co-localizes with vascular amyloid in human sporadic CAA and familial Iowa-type CAA brains compared with control brain blood vessels lacking amyloid deposits. We show that binding of Cu(II) ions to antiparallel fibrils can block the conversion of these fibrils to the more stable parallel, in-register conformation and enhances their ability to serve as templates for seeded growth. These results provide an explanation for how thermodynamically less stable antiparallel fibrils may form amyloid in or on cerebral vessels by using Cu(II) as a structural cofactor.
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Chen CD, Zeldich E, Khodr C, Camara K, Tung TY, Lauder EC, Mullen P, Polanco TJ, Liu YY, Zeldich D, Xia W, Van Nostrand WE, Brown LE, Porco JA, Abraham CR. Small Molecule Amyloid-β Protein Precursor Processing Modulators Lower Amyloid-β Peptide Levels via cKit Signaling. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 67:1089-1106. [PMID: 30776010 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides consisting of 39-43 amino acids, proteolytically derived fragments of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP), and the accumulation of the hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau. Inhibiting Aβ production may reduce neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction associated with AD. We have previously used an AβPP-firefly luciferase enzyme complementation assay to conduct a high throughput screen of a compound library for inhibitors of AβPP dimerization, and identified a compound that reduces Aβ levels. In the present study, we have identified an analog, compound Y10, which also reduced Aβ. Initial kinase profiling assays identified the receptor tyrosine kinase cKit as a putative Y10 target. To elucidate the precise mechanism involved, AβPP phosphorylation was examined by IP-western blotting. We found that Y10 inhibits cKit phosphorylation and increases AβPP phosphorylation mainly on tyrosine residue Y743, according to AβPP751 numbering. A known cKit inhibitor and siRNA specific to cKit were also found to increase AβPP phosphorylation and lower Aβ levels. We also investigated a cKit downstream signaling molecule, the Shp2 phosphatase, and found that known Shp2 inhibitors and siRNA specific to Shp2 also increase AβPP phosphorylation, suggesting that the cKit signaling pathway is also involved in AβPP phosphorylation and Aβ production. We further found that inhibitors of both cKit and Shp2 enhance AβPP surface localization. Thus, regulation of AβPP phosphorylation by small molecules should be considered as a novel therapeutic intervention for AD.
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Zhu X, Hatfield J, Sullivan JK, Xu F, Van Nostrand WE. Robust neuroinflammation and perivascular pathology in rTg-DI rats, a novel model of microvascular cerebral amyloid angiopathy. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:78. [PMID: 32127016 PMCID: PMC7055091 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01755-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common cerebral small vessel disease of the aged and a prominent comorbidity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). CAA can promote a variety of vascular-related pathologies including neuroinflammation, cerebral infarction, and hemorrhages, which can all contribute to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). Our understanding of the pathogenesis of CAA remains limited and further investigation of this condition requires better preclinical animal models that more accurately reflect the human disease. Recently, we generated a novel transgenic rat model for CAA (rTg-DI) that develops robust and progressive microvascular CAA, consistent microhemorrhages and behavioral deficits. Methods In the current study, we investigated perivascular pathological processes that accompany the onset and progressive accumulation of microvascular CAA in this model. Cohorts of rTg-DI rats were aged to 3 months with the onset of CAA and to 12 months with advanced stage disease and then quantitatively analyzed for progression of CAA, perivascular glial activation, inflammatory markers, and perivascular stress. Results The rTg-DI rats developed early-onset and robust accumulation of microvascular amyloid. As the disease progressed, rTg-DI rats exhibited increased numbers of astrocytes and activated microglia which were accompanied by expression of a distinct subset of inflammatory markers, perivascular pericyte degeneration, astrocytic caspase 3 activation, and disruption of neuronal axonal integrity. Conclusions Taken together, these results demonstrate that rTg-DI rats faithfully mimic numerous aspects of human microvascular CAA and provide new experimental insight into the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation and perivascular stress associated with the onset and progression of this condition, suggesting new potential therapeutic targets for this condition. The rTg-DI rats provide an improved preclinical platform for developing new biomarkers and testing therapeutic strategies for microvascular CAA.
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Zhu X, Victor TW, Ambi A, Sullivan JK, Hatfield J, Xu F, Miller LM, Van Nostrand WE. Copper accumulation and the effect of chelation treatment on cerebral amyloid angiopathy compared to parenchymal amyloid plaques. Metallomics 2020; 12:539-546. [PMID: 32104807 DOI: 10.1039/c9mt00306a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Accumulation of fibrillar amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in parenchymal plaques and in blood vessels of the brain, the latter condition known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), are hallmark pathologies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders. Cerebral amyloid deposits have been reported to accumulate various metals, most notably copper and zinc. Here we show that, in human AD, copper is preferentially accumulated in amyloid-containing brain blood vessels compared to parenchymal amyloid plaques. In light of this observation, we evaluated the effects of reducing copper levels in Tg2576 mice, a transgenic model of AD amyloid pathologies. The copper chelator, tetrathiomolybdate (TTM), was administered to twelve month old Tg2576 mice for a period of five months. Copper chelation treatment significantly reduced both CAA and parenchymal plaque load in Tg2576 mice. Further, copper chelation reduced parenchymal plaque copper content but had no effect on CAA copper levels in this model. These findings indicate that copper is associated with both CAA deposits and parenchymal amyloid plaques in humans, but less in Tg2576 mice. TTM only reduces copper levels in plaques in Tg2576 mice. Reducing copper levels in the brain may beneficially lower amyloid pathologies associated with AD.
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Robison LS, Francis N, Popescu DL, Anderson ME, Hatfield J, Xu F, Anderson BJ, Van Nostrand WE, Robinson JK. Environmental Enrichment: Disentangling the Influence of Novelty, Social, and Physical Activity on Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy in a Transgenic Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E843. [PMID: 32012921 PMCID: PMC7038188 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21030843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is the deposition of amyloid protein in the cerebral vasculature, a common feature in both aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the effects of environmental factors, particularly cognitive stimulation, social stimulation, and physical activity, on CAA pathology are poorly understood. These factors, delivered in the form of the environmental enrichment (EE) paradigm in rodents, have been shown to have beneficial effects on the brain and behavior in healthy aging and AD models. However, the relative importance of these subcomponents on CAA pathology has not been investigated. Therefore, we assessed the effects of EE, social enrichment (SOC), and cognitive enrichment (COG) compared to a control group that was single housed without enrichment (SIN) from 4 to 8 months of age in wild-type mice (WT) and Tg-SwDI mice, a transgenic mouse model of CAA that exhibits cognitive/behavioral deficits. The results show that individual facets of enrichment can affect an animal model of CAA, though the SOC and combined EE conditions are generally the most effective at producing physiological, cognitive/behavioral, and neuropathological changes, adding to a growing literature supporting the benefits of lifestyle interventions.
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Francis N, Robison LS, Popescu DL, Michaelos M, Hatfield J, Xu F, Zhu X, Davis J, Anderson ME, Anderson BJ, Van Nostrand WE, Robinson JK. Voluntary Wheel Running Reduces Amyloid-β42 and Rescues Behavior in Aged Tg2576 Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 73:359-374. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-190810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Zhu X, Xu F, Hoos MD, Lee H, Benveniste H, Van Nostrand WE. Reduced Levels of Cerebrospinal Fluid/Plasma Aβ40 as an Early Biomarker for Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy in RTg-DI Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21010303. [PMID: 31906317 PMCID: PMC6982234 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of fibrillar amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in blood vessels of the brain, the condition known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), is a common small vessel disease that promotes cognitive impairment and is strongly associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Presently, the clinical diagnosis of this condition relies on neuroimaging markers largely associated with cerebral macro/microbleeds. However, these are markers of late-stage disease detected after extensive cerebral vascular amyloid accumulation has become chronic. Recently, we generated a novel transgenic rat model of CAA (rTg-DI) that recapitulates multiple aspects of human CAA disease with the progressive accumulation of cerebral vascular amyloid, largely composed of Aβ40, and the consistent emergence of subsequent microbleeds. Here, we investigated the levels of Aβ40 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of rTg-DI rats as CAA progressed from inception to late stage disease. The levels of Aβ40 in CSF and plasma precipitously dropped at the early onset of CAA accumulation at three months of age and continued to decrease with the progression of disease. Notably, the reduction in CSF/plasma Aβ40 levels preceded the emergence of cerebral microbleeds, which first occurred at about six months of age, as detected by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and histological staining of brain tissue. These findings support the concept that reduced CSF/plasma levels of Aβ40 could serve as a biomarker for early stage CAA disease prior to the onset of cerebral microbleeds for future therapeutic intervention.
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Robison LS, Popescu DL, Anderson ME, Francis N, Hatfield J, Sullivan JK, Beigelman SI, Xu F, Anderson BJ, Van Nostrand WE, Robinson JK. Long-term voluntary wheel running does not alter vascular amyloid burden but reduces neuroinflammation in the Tg-SwDI mouse model of cerebral amyloid angiopathy. J Neuroinflammation 2019; 16:144. [PMID: 31296239 PMCID: PMC6621983 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-019-1534-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular exercise (CVE) has been shown to be protective against cognitive decline in aging and the risk for dementias, including Alzheimer's Disease (AD). CVE has also been shown to have several beneficial effects on brain pathology and behavioral impairments in mouse models of AD; however, no studies have specifically examined the effects of CVE on cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which is the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the cerebral vasculature. CAA may be uniquely susceptible to beneficial effects of CVE interventions due to the location and nature of the pathology. Alternatively, CVE may exacerbate CAA pathology, due to added stress on already compromised cerebral vasculature. METHODS In the current study, we examined the effects of CVE over many months in mice, thereby modeling a lifelong commitment to CVE in humans. We assessed this voluntary CVE in Tg-SwDI mice, a transgenic mouse model of CAA that exhibits behavioral deficits, fibrillar vascular Aβ pathology, and significant perivascular neuroinflammation. Various "doses" of exercise intervention (0 h ("Sedentary"), 1 h, 3 h, 12 h access to running wheel) were assessed from ~ 4 to 12 months of age for effects on physiology, behavior/cognitive performance, and pathology. RESULTS The 12 h group performed the greatest volume of exercise, whereas the 1 h and 3 h groups showed high levels of exercise intensity, as defined by more frequent and longer duration running bouts. Tg-SwDI mice exhibited significant cerebral vascular Aβ pathology and increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines as compared to WT controls. Tg-SwDI mice did not show motor dysfunction or altered levels of anxiety or sociability compared to WT controls, though Tg-SwDI animals did appear to exhibit a reduced tendency to explore novel environments. At all running levels, CAA pathology in Tg-SwDI mice was not significantly altered, but 12-h high-volume exercise showed increased insoluble Aβ burden. However, CVE attenuated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 and was generally effective at enhancing motor function and reducing anxiety-like behavior in Tg-SwDI mice, though alterations in learning and memory tasks were varied. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results suggest that CAA can still develop regardless of a lifespan of substantial CVE, although downstream effects on neuroinflammation may be reduced and functional outcomes improved.
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Davis J, Xu F, Hatfield J, Lee H, Hoos MD, Popescu D, Crooks E, Kim R, Smith SO, Robinson JK, Benveniste H, Van Nostrand WE. A Novel Transgenic Rat Model of Robust Cerebral Microvascular Amyloid with Prominent Vasculopathy. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2018; 188:2877-2889. [PMID: 30446159 PMCID: PMC6334267 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of fibrillar amyloid β protein in blood vessels of the brain, a condition known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), is a common pathology of elderly individuals, a prominent comorbidity of Alzheimer disease, and a driver of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. Although several transgenic mouse strains have been generated that develop varying levels of CAA, consistent models of associated cerebral microhemorrhage and vasculopathy observed clinically have been lacking. Reliable preclinical animal models of CAA and microhemorrhage are needed to investigate the molecular pathogenesis of this condition. Herein, we describe the generation and characterization of a novel transgenic rat (rTg-DI) that produces low levels of human familial CAA Dutch/Iowa E22Q/D23N mutant amyloid β protein in brain and faithfully recapitulates many of the pathologic aspects of human small-vessel CAA. rTg-DI rats exhibit early-onset and progressive accumulation of cerebral microvascular fibrillar amyloid accompanied by early-onset and sustained behavioral deficits. Comparable to CAA in humans, the cerebral microvascular amyloid in rTg-DI rats causes capillary structural alterations, promotes prominent perivascular neuroinflammation, and produces consistent, robust microhemorrhages and small-vessel occlusions that are readily detected by magnetic resonance imaging. The rTg-DI rats provide a new model to investigate the pathogenesis of small-vessel CAA and microhemorrhages, to develop effective biomarkers for this condition and to test therapeutic interventions.
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Robison LS, Popescu DL, Anderson ME, Beigelman SI, Fitzgerald SM, Kuzmina AE, Lituma DA, Subzwari S, Michaelos M, Anderson BJ, Van Nostrand WE, Robinson JK. The effects of volume versus intensity of long-term voluntary exercise on physiology and behavior in C57/Bl6 mice. Physiol Behav 2018; 194:218-232. [PMID: 29879399 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cardiovascular exercise (CVE) is associated with healthy aging and reduced risk of disease in humans, with similar benefits seen in animals. Most rodent studies, however, have used shorter intervention periods of a few weeks to a few months, begging questions as to the effects of longer-term, or even life-long, exercise. Additionally, most animal studies have utilized a single exercise treatment group - usually unlimited running wheel access - resulting in large volumes of exercise that are not clinically relevant. It is therefore incumbent to determine the physiological and cognitive/behavioral effects of a range of exercise intensities and volumes over a long-term period that model a lifelong commitment to CVE. In the current study, C57/Bl6 mice remained sedentary or were allowed either 1, 3, or 12 h of access to a running wheel per day, 5 days/weeks, beginning at 3.5-4 months of age. Following an eight-month intervention period, animals underwent a battery of behavioral testing, then euthanized and blood and tissue were collected. Longer access to a running wheel resulted in greater volume and higher running speed, but more breaks in running. All exercise groups showed similarly reduced body weight, increased muscle mass, improved motor function on the rotarod, and reduced anxiety in the open field. While all exercise groups showed increased food intake, this was greatest in the 12 h group but did not differ between 1 h and 3 h mice. While exercise dose-dependently increased working memory performance in the y-maze, the 1 h and 12 h groups showed the largest changes in the mass of many organs, as well as alterations in several behaviors including social interaction, novel object recognition, and Barnes maze performance. These findings suggest that long-term exercise has widespread effects on physiology, behavior, and cognition, which vary by "dose" and measure, and that even relatively small amounts of daily exercise can provide benefits.
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Lewczuk P, Riederer P, O’Bryant SE, Verbeek MM, Dubois B, Visser PJ, Jellinger KA, Engelborghs S, Ramirez A, Parnetti L, Jack CR, Teunissen CE, Hampel H, Lleó A, Jessen F, Glodzik L, de Leon MJ, Fagan AM, Molinuevo JL, Jansen WJ, Winblad B, Shaw LM, Andreasson U, Otto M, Mollenhauer B, Wiltfang J, Turner MR, Zerr I, Handels R, Thompson AG, Johansson G, Ermann N, Trojanowski JQ, Karaca I, Wagner H, Oeckl P, van Waalwijk van Doorn L, Bjerke M, Kapogiannis D, Kuiperij HB, Farotti L, Li Y, Gordon BA, Epelbaum S, Vos SJB, Klijn CJM, Van Nostrand WE, Minguillon C, Schmitz M, Gallo C, Mato AL, Thibaut F, Lista S, Alcolea D, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Kornhuber J, Riederer P, Gallo C, Kapogiannis D, Mato AL, Thibaut F. Cerebrospinal fluid and blood biomarkers for neurodegenerative dementias: An update of the Consensus of the Task Force on Biological Markers in Psychiatry of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry. World J Biol Psychiatry 2018; 19:244-328. [PMID: 29076399 PMCID: PMC5916324 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2017.1375556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the 12 years since the publication of the first Consensus Paper of the WFSBP on biomarkers of neurodegenerative dementias, enormous advancement has taken place in the field, and the Task Force takes now the opportunity to extend and update the original paper. New concepts of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the conceptual interactions between AD and dementia due to AD were developed, resulting in two sets for diagnostic/research criteria. Procedures for pre-analytical sample handling, biobanking, analyses and post-analytical interpretation of the results were intensively studied and optimised. A global quality control project was introduced to evaluate and monitor the inter-centre variability in measurements with the goal of harmonisation of results. Contexts of use and how to approach candidate biomarkers in biological specimens other than cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), e.g. blood, were precisely defined. Important development was achieved in neuroimaging techniques, including studies comparing amyloid-β positron emission tomography results to fluid-based modalities. Similarly, development in research laboratory technologies, such as ultra-sensitive methods, raises our hopes to further improve analytical and diagnostic accuracy of classic and novel candidate biomarkers. Synergistically, advancement in clinical trials of anti-dementia therapies energises and motivates the efforts to find and optimise the most reliable early diagnostic modalities. Finally, the first studies were published addressing the potential of cost-effectiveness of the biomarkers-based diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Anderson M, Xu F, Ou-Yang MH, Davis J, Van Nostrand WE, Robinson JK. Intensive 'Brain Training' Intervention Fails to Reduce Amyloid Pathologies or Cognitive Deficits in Transgenic Mouse Models of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 55:1109-1121. [PMID: 27767989 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly. Amyloid-β protein (Aβ) depositions in both the brain parenchyma and the cerebral vasculature are recognized as important pathological components that contribute to the cognitive impairments found in individuals with AD. Because pharmacological options have been minimally effective in treating cognitive impairment to date, interest in the development of preventative lifestyle intervention strategies has increased in the field. One controversial strategy, cognitive-specific stimulation, has been studied previously in human participants and has been widely commercialized in the form of 'brain-training games.' In the present study, we developed a highly controlled, isolated cognitive training intervention program for mice. Two transgenic mouse lines, one that develops Aβ deposition largely in brain parenchyma, and another in the cerebral microvasculature, progressed through a series of domain-specific tasks for an average of 4 months. Despite the high intensity and duration of the intervention, we found little evidence of positive benefits for AD amyloid pathologies and post-training cognitive testing in these two models. Taken together, these results support the current evidence in human studies that cognitive-specific stimulation does not lead to a measurable reduction in AD pathology or an improvement in general brain health.
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Van Nostrand WE. [FTS3–01–01]: UNIQUE FEATURES OF CEREBRAL VASCULAR AMYLOID: A KEY MEDIATOR OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN AD. Alzheimers Dement 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.07.290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Xu F, Davis J, Hoos M, Van Nostrand WE. Mutation of the Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor domain in the amyloid β-protein precursor abolishes its anti-thrombotic properties in vivo. Thromb Res 2017; 155:58-64. [PMID: 28499154 DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2017.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Kunitz proteinase inhibitor (KPI) domain-containing forms of the amyloid β-protein precursor (AβPP) inhibit cerebral thrombosis. KPI domain-lacking forms of AβPP are abundant in brain. Regions of AβPP other than the KPI domain may also be involved with regulating cerebral thrombosis. To determine the contribution of the KPI domain to the overall function of AβPP in regulating cerebral thrombosis we generated a reactive center mutant that was devoid of anti-thrombotic activity and studied its anti-thrombotic function in vitro and in vivo. METHODS To determine the extent of KPI function of AβPP in regulating cerebral thrombosis we generated a recombinant reactive center KPIR13I mutant devoid of anti-thrombotic activity. The anti-proteolytic and anti-coagulant properties of wild-type and R13I mutant KPI were investigated in vitro. Cerebral thrombosis of wild-type, AβPP knock out and AβPP/KPIR13I mutant mice was evaluated in experimental models of carotid artery thrombosis and intracerebral hemorrhage. RESULTS Recombinant mutant KPIR13I domain was ineffective in the inhibition of pro-thrombotic proteinases and did not inhibit the clotting of plasma in vitro. AβPP/KPIR13I mutant mice were similarly deficient as AβPP knock out mice in regulating cerebral thrombosis in experimental models of carotid artery thrombosis and intracerebral hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that the anti-thrombotic function of AβPP primarily resides in the KPI activity of the protein.
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Van Nostrand WE, Xu F, Fu Z, Hoos M, Dass S, Kotarba A, Davis J, Smith SO. O5‐06‐03: Cerebral Vascular Amyloid Seeds Drive Amyloid Ss‐Protein Fibril Assembly with a Distinct Anti‐Parallel Structure. Alzheimers Dement 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2016.06.737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Xu F, Van Nostrand WE. Data on thrombotic ischemic lesions in the presence or absence of amyloid ß-protein precursor or its homolog amyloid precursor-like protein-2 in mice. Data Brief 2015; 6:149-52. [PMID: 26858980 PMCID: PMC4706567 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2015.11.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid ß-protein precursor (AßPP) and amyloid precursor-like protein-2 (APLP2) are potent inhibitors of thrombosis, see related article “The influence of the amyloid ß-protein and its precursor in modulating cerebral thrombosis” (Van Nostrand, 2016) [1]. Datapresented are images of photo-induced thrombotic ischemic stroke in wild-type mice, AßPP−/− mice and APLP2−/− mice, and the calculated infarct volume show approximately 40% and 33%, respectively, larger cerebral infarcts compared to wild-type mice.
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Van Nostrand WE. The influence of the amyloid ß-protein and its precursor in modulating cerebral hemostasis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2015; 1862:1018-26. [PMID: 26519139 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2015.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are a significant cause of brain injury leading to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). These deleterious events largely result from disruption of cerebral hemostasis, a well-controlled and delicate balance between thrombotic and fibrinolytic pathways in cerebral blood vessels and surrounding brain tissue. Ischemia and hemorrhage are both commonly associated with cerebrovascular deposition of amyloid ß-protein (Aß). In this regard, Aß directly and indirectly modulates cerebral thrombosis and fibrinolysis. Further, major isoforms of the Aß precursor protein (AßPP) function as a potent inhibitor of pro-thrombotic proteinases. The purpose of this review article is to summarize recent research on how cerebral vascular Aß and AßPP influence cerebral hemostasis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia, edited by M. Paul Murphy, Roderick A. Corriveau and Donna M. Wilcock.
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Fu Z, Aucoin D, Davis J, Van Nostrand WE, Smith SO. Mechanism of Nucleated Conformational Conversion of Aβ42. Biochemistry 2015; 54:4197-207. [PMID: 26069943 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Soluble oligomers and protofibrils of the Aβ42 peptide are neurotoxic intermediates in the conversion of monomeric Aβ42 into the amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's disease. Nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, along with single-touch atomic force microscopy, are used to establish the structural transitions involved in fibril formation. We show that under conditions favorable for the nucleated conformation conversion, the Aβ42 peptide aggregates into largely unstructured low-molecular weight (MW) oligomers that are able to stack to form high-MW oligomers and to laterally associate to form protofibrils. β-Sheet secondary structure develops during the irreversible lateral association of the oligomers. The first step in this conversion is the formation of an antiparallel β-hairpin stabilized by intramonomer hydrogen bonding. The antiparallel β-hairpins then associate into a cross β-sheet structure with parallel and in-register β-strands having intermonomer hydrogen bonding.
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Fu Z, Aucoin D, Ahmed M, Ziliox M, Van Nostrand WE, Smith SO. Capping of aβ42 oligomers by small molecule inhibitors. Biochemistry 2014; 53:7893-903. [PMID: 25422864 PMCID: PMC4278677 DOI: 10.1021/bi500910b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aβ42 peptides associate into soluble oligomers and protofibrils in the process of forming the amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's disease. The oligomers have been reported to be more toxic to neurons than fibrils, and have been targeted by a wide range of small molecule and peptide inhibitors. With single touch atomic force microscopy (AFM), we show that monomeric Aβ42 forms two distinct types of oligomers, low molecular weight (MW) oligomers with heights of 1-2 nm and high MW oligomers with heights of 3-5 nm. In both cases, the oligomers are disc-shaped with diameters of ~10-15 nm. The similar diameters suggest that the low MW species stack to form the high MW oligomers. The ability of Aβ42 inhibitors to interact with these oligomers is probed using atomic force microscopy and NMR spectroscopy. We show that curcumin and resveratrol bind to the N-terminus (residues 5-20) of Aβ42 monomers and cap the height of the oligomers that are formed at 1-2 nm. A second class of inhibitors, which includes sulindac sulfide and indomethacin, exhibit very weak interactions across the Aβ42 sequence and do not block the formation of the high MW oligomers. The correlation between N-terminal interactions and capping of the height of the Aβ oligomers provides insights into the mechanism of inhibition and the pathway of Aβ aggregation.
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Ou-Yang MH, Xu F, Liao MC, Davis J, Robinson JK, Van Nostrand WE. N-terminal region of myelin basic protein reduces fibrillar amyloid-β deposition in Tg-5xFAD mice. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 36:801-11. [PMID: 25457550 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by extensive deposition of fibrillar amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain. Previously, myelin basic protein (MBP) was identified to be a potent inhibitor to Aβ fibril formation, and this inhibitory activity was localized to the N-terminal residues 1-64, a fragment designated MBP1. Here, we show that the modest neuronal expression of a fusion protein of the biologically active MBP1 fragment and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (MBP1-EGFP) significantly improved the performance of spatial learning memory in Tg-5xFAD mice, a model of pathologic Aβ accumulation in brain. The levels of insoluble Aβ and fibrillar amyloid were significantly reduced in bigenic Tg-5xFAD/Tg-MBP1-EGFP mice. Quantitative stereological analysis revealed that the reduction in amyloid was because of a reduction in the size of fibrillar plaques rather than a decrease in plaque numbers. The current findings support previous studies showing that MBP1 inhibits Aβ fibril formation in vitro and demonstrate the ability of MBP1 to reduce Aβ pathology and improve behavioral performance.
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Xu W, Xu F, Anderson ME, Kotarba AE, Davis J, Robinson JK, Van Nostrand WE. Cerebral microvascular rather than parenchymal amyloid-β protein pathology promotes early cognitive impairment in transgenic mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2014; 38:621-32. [PMID: 24037035 DOI: 10.3233/jad-130758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative condition that causes a progressive decline in cognitive function. Accumulation of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in the brain is a prominent feature of AD and related disorders. However, the levels of Aβ accumulation alone are not a reliable predictor of cognitive deficits. Aβ accumulates in AD brain in the form of parenchymal amyloid plaques and cerebral vascular deposits. Although both types of lesions can contribute to cognitive decline, their temporal impact remains unclear. Moreover, cerebral microvascular pathology is identified as an early driver of cognitive impairment. Here for the first time, we compared two transgenic mouse strains, Tg-5xFAD and Tg-SwDI, which exhibit similar onset and anatomical accumulation of Aβ, but with distinct parenchymal and microvascular compartmental deposition, respectively, to assess their impact on cognitive impairment. Cohorts of each line were tested at 3 and 6 months of age to assess the relationship between spatial working memory performance and quantitative pathology. At 3 months of age, Tg-SwDI mice with onset of cerebral microvascular amyloid were behaviorally impaired, while the Tg-5xFAD, which had disproportionately higher levels of total Aβ, soluble oligomeric Aβ, and parenchymal amyloid were not. However, at 6 months of age, behavioral deficits for both groups of transgenic mice were evident, as the levels of Aβ pathologies in the Tg-5xFAD accumulated to extremely high amounts. The present findings suggest early-onset cerebral microvascular amyloid deposition, that precedes high parenchymal levels of Aβ, may be an important early factor in the development of cognitive deficits.
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Xu F, Kotarba AE, Ou-Yang MH, Fu Z, Davis J, Smith SO, Van Nostrand WE. Early-onset formation of parenchymal plaque amyloid abrogates cerebral microvascular amyloid accumulation in transgenic mice. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:17895-908. [PMID: 24828504 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.536565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The fibrillar assembly and deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) protein, a key pathology of Alzheimer disease, can occur in the form of parenchymal amyloid plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Familial forms of CAA exist in the absence of appreciable parenchymal amyloid pathology. The molecular interplay between parenchymal amyloid plaques and CAA is unclear. Here we investigated how early-onset parenchymal amyloid plaques impact the development of microvascular amyloid in transgenic mice. Tg-5xFAD mice, which produce non-mutated human Aβ and develop early-onset parenchymal amyloid plaques, were bred to Tg-SwDI mice, which produce familial CAA mutant human Aβ and develop cerebral microvascular amyloid. The bigenic mice presented with an elevated accumulation of Aβ and fibrillar amyloid in the brain compared with either single transgenic line. Tg-SwDI/Tg-5xFAD mice were devoid of microvascular amyloid, the prominent pathology of Tg-SwDI mice, but exhibited larger parenchymal amyloid plaques compared with Tg-5xFAD mice. The larger parenchymal amyloid deposits were associated with a higher loss of cortical neurons and elevated activated microglia in the bigenic Tg-SwDI/Tg-5xFAD mice. The periphery of parenchymal amyloid plaques was largely composed of CAA mutant Aβ. Non-mutated Aβ fibril seeds promoted CAA mutant Aβ fibril formation in vitro. Further, intrahippocampal administration of biotin-labeled CAA mutant Aβ peptide accumulated on and adjacent to pre-existing parenchymal amyloid plaques in Tg-5xFAD mice. These findings indicate that early-onset parenchymal amyloid plaques can serve as a scaffold to capture CAA mutant Aβ peptides and prevent their accumulation in cerebral microvessels.
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Park L, Koizumi K, El Jamal S, Zhou P, Previti ML, Van Nostrand WE, Carlson G, Iadecola C. Age-dependent neurovascular dysfunction and damage in a mouse model of cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Stroke 2014; 45:1815-21. [PMID: 24781082 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.114.005179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Accumulation of amyloid-β in cerebral blood vessels occurs in familial and sporadic forms of cerebral amyloid angiopathy and is a prominent feature of Alzheimer disease. However, the functional correlates of the vascular pathology induced by cerebral amyloid angiopathy and the mechanisms involved have not been fully established. METHODS We used male transgenic mice expressing the Swedish, Iowa, and Dutch mutations of the amyloid precursor protein (Tg-SwDI) to examine the effect of cerebral amyloid angiopathy on cerebrovascular structure and function. Somatosensory cortex cerebral blood flow was monitored by laser-Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized Tg-SwDI mice and wild-type littermates equipped with a cranial window. RESULTS Tg-SwDI mice exhibited reductions in cerebral blood flow responses to whisker stimulation, endothelium-dependent vasodilators, or hypercapnia at 3 months when compared with wild-type mice, whereas the response to adenosine was not attenuated. However, at 18 and 24 months, all cerebrovascular responses were markedly reduced. At this time, there was evidence of cerebrovascular amyloid deposition, smooth muscle fragmentation, and pericyte loss. Neocortical superfusion with the free radical scavenger manganic(I-II)meso-tetrakis(4-benzoic acid) porphyrin rescued endothelium-dependent responses and functional hyperemia completely at 3 months but only partially at 18 months. CONCLUSIONS Tg-SwDI mice exhibit a profound age-dependent cerebrovascular dysfunction, involving multiple regulatory mechanisms. Early in the disease process, oxidative stress is responsible for most of the vascular dysfunction, but with advancing disease structural alterations of the vasomotor apparatus also play a role. Early therapeutic interventions are likely to have the best chance to counteract the deleterious vascular effects of cerebral amyloid angiopathy.
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Ou-Yang MH, Van Nostrand WE. The absence of myelin basic protein promotes neuroinflammation and reduces amyloid β-protein accumulation in Tg-5xFAD mice. J Neuroinflammation 2013; 10:134. [PMID: 24188129 PMCID: PMC4228351 DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-10-134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal accumulation of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in the brain plays an important role in the pathogenesis \of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ monomers assemble into oligomers and fibrils that promote neuronal dysfunction. This assembly pathway is influenced by naturally occurring brain molecules, the Aβ chaperone proteins, which bind to Aβ and modulate its aggregation. Myelin basic protein (MBP) was previously identified as a novel Aβ chaperone protein and a potent inhibitor for Aβ fibril assembly in vitro. METHODS In this study, we determined whether the absence of MBP would influence Aβ pathology in vivo by breeding MBP knockout mice (MBP-/-) with Tg-5xFAD mice, a model of AD-like parenchymal Aβ pathology. RESULTS Through biochemical and immunohistochemical experiments, we found that bigenic Tg-5xFAD/MBP-/- mice had a significant decrease of insoluble Aβ and parenchymal plaque deposition at an early age. The expression of transgene encoded human AβPP, the levels of C-terminal fragments generated during Aβ production and the intracellular Aβ were unaffected in the absence of MBP. Likewise, we did not find a significant difference in plasma Aβ or cerebrospinal fluid Aβ, suggesting these clearance routes were unaltered in bigenic Tg-5xFAD/MBP-/- mice. However, MBP-/- mice and bigenic Tg-5xFAD/MBP-/- mice exhibited elevated reactive astrocytes and activated microglia compared with Tg-5xFAD mice. The Aβ degrading enzyme matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), which is expressed by activated glial cells, was significantly increased in the Tg-5xFAD/MBP-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the absence of MBP decreases Aβ deposition in transgenic mice and that this consequence may result from increased glial activation and expression of MMP-9, an Aβ degrading enzyme.
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