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Chai GS, Wang YY, Yasheng A, Zhao P. Beta 2-adrenergic receptor activation enhances neurogenesis in Alzheimer's disease mice. Neural Regen Res 2016; 11:1617-1624. [PMID: 27904493 PMCID: PMC5116841 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.193241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired hippocampal neurogenesis is one of the early pathological features of Alzheimer's disease. Enhancing adult hippocampal neurogenesis has been pursued as a potential therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have demonstrated that environmental novelty activates β2-adrenergic signaling and prevents the memory impairment induced by amyloid-β oligomers. Here, we hypothesized that β2-adrenoceptor activation would enhance neurogenesis and ameliorate memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of action of β2-adrenoceptor activation on neurogenesis and memory in amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) mice using the agonist clenbuterol (intraperitoneal injection, 2 mg/kg). We found that β2-adrenoceptor activation enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis, ameliorated memory deficits, and increased dendritic branching and the density of dendritic spines. These effects were associated with the upregulation of postsynaptic density 95, synapsin 1 and synaptophysin in APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, β2-adrenoceptor activation decreased cerebral amyloid plaques by decreasing APP phosphorylation at Thr668. These findings suggest that β2-adrenoceptor activation enhances neurogenesis and ameliorates memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gao-Shang Chai
- Department of Basic Medicine, Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yang-Yang Wang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Amina Yasheng
- Department of Basic Medicine, Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Basic Medicine, Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
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52
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Ghosh A, Purchase NC, Chen X, Yuan Q. Norepinephrine Modulates Pyramidal Cell Synaptic Properties in the Anterior Piriform Cortex of Mice: Age-Dependent Effects of β-adrenoceptors. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:450. [PMID: 26635530 PMCID: PMC4652601 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Early odor preference learning in rodents occurs within a sensitive period [≤postnatal day (P)10–12], during which pups show a heightened ability to form an odor preference when a novel odor is paired with a tactile stimulation (e.g., stroking). Norepinephrine (NE) release from the locus coeruleus during stroking mediates this learning. However, in older pups, stroking loses its ability to induce learning. The cellular and circuitry mechanisms underpinning the sensitive period for odor preference learning is not well understood. We first established the sensitive period learning model in mice – odor paired with stroking induced odor preference in P8 but not P14 mice. This learning was dependent on NE-β-adrenoceptors as it was prevented by propranolol injection prior to training. We then tested whether there are developmental changes in pyramidal cell excitability and NE responsiveness in the anterior piriform cortex (aPC) in mouse pups. Although significant differences of pyramidal cell intrinsic properties were found in two age groups (P8–11 and P14+), NE at two concentrations (0.1 and 10 μM) did not alter intrinsic properties in either group. In contrast, in P8–11 pups, NE at 0.1 μM presynaptically decreased miniature IPSC and increased miniature EPSC frequencies. These effects were reversed with a higher dose of NE (10 μM), suggesting involvement of different adrenoceptor subtypes. In P14+ pups, NE at higher doses (1 and 10 μM) acted both pre- and postsynaptically to promote inhibition. These results suggest that enhanced synaptic excitation and reduced inhibition by NE in the aPC network may underlie the sensitive period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinaba Ghosh
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
| | - Nicole C Purchase
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
| | - Xihua Chen
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
| | - Qi Yuan
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
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Zhou J, Luo Y, Zhang JT, Li MX, Wang CM, Guan XL, Wu PF, Hu ZL, Jin Y, Ni L, Wang F, Chen JG. Propranolol decreases retention of fear memory by modulating the stability of surface glutamate receptor GluA1 subunits in the lateral amygdala. Br J Pharmacol 2015; 172:5068-82. [PMID: 26228348 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder with enhanced retention of fear memory and has profound impact on quality of life for millions of people worldwide. The β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol has been used in preclinical and clinical studies for the treatment of PTSD, but the mechanisms underlying its potential efficacy on fear memory retention remain to be elucidated. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We investigated the action of propranolol on the retention of conditioned fear memory, the surface expression of glutamate receptor GluA1 subunits of AMPA receptors and synaptic adaptation in the lateral amygdala (LA) of rats. KEY RESULTS Propranolol attenuated reactivation-induced strengthening of fear retention while reducing enhanced surface expression of GluA1 subunits and restoring the impaired long-term depression in LA. These effects of propranolol were mediated by antagonizing reactivation-induced enhancement of adrenergic signalling, which activates PKA and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and then regulates the trafficking of AMPA receptors via phosphorylation of GluA1 subunits at the C-terminus. Both i.p. injection and intra-amygdala infusion of propranolol attenuated reactivation-induced enhancement of fear retention. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Reactivation strengthens fear retention by increasing the level of noradrenaline and promotes the surface expression of GluA1 subunits and the excitatory synaptic transmission in LA. These findings uncover one mechanism underlying the efficiency of propranolol on retention of fear memories and suggest that β-adrenoceptor antagonists, which act centrally, may be more suitable for the treatment of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie-Ting Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming-Xing Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Can-Ming Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin-Lei Guan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng-Fei Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, The Institute of Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhuang-Li Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, The Institute of Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - You Jin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lan Ni
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, The Institute of Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases (HUST), Ministry of Education of China, Wuhan, China.,The Key Laboratory for Drug Target Researches and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian-Guo Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, The Institute of Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases (HUST), Ministry of Education of China, Wuhan, China.,The Key Laboratory for Drug Target Researches and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
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54
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Bartus RT, Bétourné A, Basile A, Peterson BL, Glass J, Boulis NM. β2-Adrenoceptor agonists as novel, safe and potentially effective therapies for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neurobiol Dis 2015; 85:11-24. [PMID: 26459114 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a chronic and progressive neuromuscular disease for which no cure exists and better treatment options are desperately needed. We hypothesize that currently approved β2-adrenoceptor agonists may effectively treat the symptoms and possibly slow the progression of ALS. Although β2-agonists are primarily used to treat asthma, pharmacologic data from animal models of neuromuscular diseases suggest that these agents may have pharmacologic effects of benefit in treating ALS. These include inhibiting protein degradation, stimulating protein synthesis, inducing neurotrophic factor synthesis and release, positively modulating microglial and systemic immune function, maintaining the structural and functional integrity of motor endplates, and improving energy metabolism. Moreover, stimulation of β2-adrenoceptors can activate a range of downstream signaling events in many different cell types that could account for the diverse array of effects of these agents. The evidence supporting the possible therapeutic benefits of β2-agonists is briefly reviewed, followed by a more detailed review of clinical trials testing the efficacy of β-agonists in a variety of human neuromuscular maladies. The weight of evidence of the potential benefits from treating these diseases supports the hypothesis that β2-agonists may be efficacious in ALS. Finally, ways to monitor and manage the side effects that may arise with chronic administration of β2-agonists are evaluated. In sum, effective, safe and orally-active β2-agonists may provide a novel and convenient means to reduce the symptoms of ALS and possibly delay disease progression, affording a unique opportunity to repurpose these approved drugs for treating ALS, and rapidly transforming the management of this serious, unmet medical need.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jonathan Glass
- Dept Neurology and Emory ALS Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nicholas M Boulis
- Dept Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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55
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Gannon M, Che P, Chen Y, Jiao K, Roberson ED, Wang Q. Noradrenergic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:220. [PMID: 26136654 PMCID: PMC4469831 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain noradrenergic system supplies the neurotransmitter norepinephrine throughout the brain via widespread efferent projections, and plays a pivotal role in modulating cognitive activities in the cortex. Profound noradrenergic degeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients has been observed for decades, with recent research suggesting that the locus coeruleus (where noradrenergic neurons are mainly located) is a predominant site where AD-related pathology begins. Mounting evidence indicates that the loss of noradrenergic innervation greatly exacerbates AD pathogenesis and progression, although the precise roles of noradrenergic components in AD pathogenesis remain unclear. The aim of this review is to summarize current findings on noradrenergic dysfunction in AD, as well as to point out deficiencies in our knowledge where more research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Gannon
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Pulin Che
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Yunjia Chen
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kai Jiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Erik D Roberson
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Qin Wang
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL, USA
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56
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Sáez-Briones P, Soto-Moyano R, Burgos H, Castillo A, Valladares L, Morgan C, Pérez H, Barra R, Constandil L, Laurido C, Hernández A. β2-Adrenoceptor stimulation restores frontal cortex plasticity and improves visuospatial performance in hidden-prenatally-malnourished young-adult rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2015; 119:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2014.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2014] [Revised: 10/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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57
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Lippiello P, Hoxha E, Volpicelli F, Lo Duca G, Tempia F, Miniaci MC. Noradrenergic modulation of the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapse in mouse cerebellum. Neuropharmacology 2014; 89:33-42. [PMID: 25218865 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Revised: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The signals arriving to Purkinje cells via parallel fibers are essential for all tasks in which the cerebellum is involved, including motor control, learning new motor skills and calibration of reflexes. Since learning also requires the activation of adrenergic receptors, we investigated the effects of adrenergic receptor agonists on the main plastic site of the cerebellar cortex, the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapse. Here we show that noradrenaline serves as an endogenous ligand for both α1-and α2-adrenergic receptors to produce synaptic depression between parallel fibers and Purkinje cells. On the contrary, PF-EPSCs were potentiated by the β-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol. This short-term potentiation was postsynaptically expressed, required protein kinase A, and was mimicked by the β2-adrenoceptor agonist clenbuterol, suggesting that the β2-adrenoceptors mediate the noradrenergic facilitation of synaptic transmission between parallel fibers and Purkinje cells. Moreover, β-adrenoceptor activation lowered the threshold for cerebellar long-term potentiation induced by 1 Hz parallel fiber stimulation. The presence of both α and β adrenergic receptors on Purkinje cells suggests the existence of bidirectional mechanisms of regulation allowing the noradrenergic afferents to refine the signals arriving to Purkinje cells at particular arousal states or during learning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eriola Hoxha
- Dept. of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Italy
| | - Floriana Volpicelli
- Dept. of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", CNR, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Filippo Tempia
- Dept. of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Italy.
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58
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Gilmartin MR, Balderston NL, Helmstetter FJ. Prefrontal cortical regulation of fear learning. Trends Neurosci 2014; 37:455-64. [PMID: 24929864 PMCID: PMC4119830 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Revised: 05/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex regulates the expression of fear based on previously learned information. Recently, this brain area has emerged as being crucial in the initial formation of fear memories, providing new avenues to study the neurobiology underlying aberrant learning in anxiety disorders. Here we review the circumstances under which the prefrontal cortex is recruited in the formation of memory, highlighting relevant work in laboratory animals and human subjects. We propose that the prefrontal cortex facilitates fear memory through the integration of sensory and emotional signals and through the coordination of memory storage in an amygdala-based network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke R Gilmartin
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, 561 N 15th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA.
| | - Nicholas L Balderston
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Fred J Helmstetter
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
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59
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Luo F, Guo NN, Li SH, Tang H, Liu Y, Zhang Y. Reduction of glutamate release probability and the number of releasable vesicles are required for suppression of glutamatergic transmission by β1-adrenoceptors in the medial prefrontal cortex. Neuropharmacology 2014; 83:89-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2013] [Revised: 03/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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60
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β2-Adrenergic receptor agonist ameliorates phenotypes and corrects microRNA-mediated IGF1 deficits in a mouse model of Rett syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:9947-52. [PMID: 24958851 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1309426111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome is a severe childhood onset neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), with known disturbances in catecholamine synthesis. Here, we show that treatment with the β2-adrenergic receptor agonist clenbuterol increases survival, rescues abnormalities in respiratory function and social recognition, and improves motor coordination in young male Mecp2-null (Mecp2(-/y)) mice. Importantly, we demonstrate that short-term treatment with clenbuterol in older symptomatic female heterozygous (Mecp2(-/+)) mice rescues respiratory, cognitive, and motor coordination deficits, and induces an anxiolytic effect. In addition, we reveal abnormalities in a microRNA-mediated pathway, downstream of brain-derived neurotrophic factor that affects insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) expression in Mecp2(-/y) mice, and show that treatment with clenbuterol restores the observed molecular alterations. Finally, cotreatment with clenbuterol and recombinant human IGF1 results in additional increases in survival in male null mice. Collectively, our data support a role for IGF1 and other growth factor deficits as an underlying mechanism of Rett syndrome and introduce β2-adrenergic receptor agonists as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of the disorder.
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61
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Branca C, Wisely EV, Hartman LK, Caccamo A, Oddo S. Administration of a selective β2 adrenergic receptor antagonist exacerbates neuropathology and cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:2726-2735. [PMID: 25034342 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Currently, there are no available approaches to cure or slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits and intraneuronal tangles that comprised hyperphosphorylated tau. The β2 adrenergic receptors (β2ARs) are expressed throughout the cortex and hippocampus and play a key role in cognitive functions. Alterations in the function of these receptors have been linked to AD; however, these data remain controversial as apparent contradicting reports have been published. Given the current demographics of growing elderly population and the high likelihood of concurrent β-blocker use for other chronic conditions, more studies into the role of this receptor in AD animal models are needed. Here, we show that administration of ICI 118,551 (ICI), a selective β2AR antagonist, exacerbates cognitive deficits in a mouse model of AD, the 3xTg-AD mice. Neuropathologically, ICI increased Aβ levels and Aβ plaque burden. Concomitantly, ICI-treated 3xTg-AD mice showed an increase in tau phosphorylation and accumulation. Mechanistically, these changes were linked to an increase in amyloidogenic amyloid precursor protein processing. These results suggest that under the conditions used here, selective pharmacologic inhibition of β2ARs has detrimental effects on AD-like pathology in mice. Overall, these studies strengthen the notion that the link between β2ARs and AD is likely highly complex and suggest caution in generalizing the beneficial effects of β blockers on AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Branca
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, USA; Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elena V Wisely
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Antonella Caccamo
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, USA; Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Oddo
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, USA; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine at Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
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62
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Wisely EV, Xiang YK, Oddo S. Genetic suppression of β2-adrenergic receptors ameliorates tau pathology in a mouse model of tauopathies. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 23:4024-34. [PMID: 24626633 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of the microtubule-binding protein tau is a key event in several neurodegenerative disorders referred to as tauopathies, which include Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration. Thus, understanding the molecular pathways leading to tau accumulation will have a major impact across multiple neurodegenerative disorders. To elucidate the pathways involved in tau pathology, we removed the gene encoding the beta-2 adrenergic receptors (β2ARs) from a mouse model overexpressing mutant human tau. Notably, the number of β2ARs is increased in brains of AD patients and epidemiological studies show that the use of beta-blockers decreases the incidence of AD. The mechanisms underlying these observations, however, are not clear. We show that the tau transgenic mice lacking the β2AR gene had a reduced mortality rate compared with the parental tau transgenic mice. Removing the gene encoding the β2ARs from the tau transgenic mice also significantly improved motor deficits. Neuropathologically, the improvement in lifespan and motor function was associated with a reduction in brain tau immunoreactivity and phosphorylation. Mechanistically, we provide compelling evidence that the β2AR-mediated changes in tau were linked to a reduction in the activity of GSK3β and CDK5, two of the major tau kinases. These studies provide a mechanistic link between β2ARs and tau and suggest the molecular basis linking the use of beta-blockers to a reduced incidence of AD. Furthermore, these data suggest that a detailed pharmacological modulation of β2ARs could be exploited to develop better therapeutic strategies for AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V Wisely
- Department of Physiology and The Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Yang K Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Salvatore Oddo
- Department of Physiology and The Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, USA Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Sun City, AZ, USA
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