Amyloid β-peptide oligomers stimulate RyR-mediated Ca2+ release inducing mitochondrial fragmentation in hippocampal neurons and prevent RyR-mediated dendritic spine remodeling produced by BDNF

Inhibition of choline acetyltransferase as a mechanism for cholinergic dysfunction induced by amyloid-β peptide oligomers

Dysregulated cholinergic signaling is an early hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD), usually ascribed to degeneration of cholinergic neurons induced by the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). It is now generally accepted that neuronal dysfunction and memory deficits in the early stages of AD are caused by the neuronal impact of soluble Aβ oligomers (AβOs). AβOs build up in AD brain and specifically attach to excitatory synapses, leading to synapse dysfunction. Here, we have investigated the possibility that AβOs could impact cholinergic signaling. The activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT, the enzyme that carries out ACh production) was inhibited by ~50% in cultured cholinergic neurons exposed to low nanomolar concentrations of AβOs. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction, lactate dehydrogenase release, and [(3)H]choline uptake assays showed no evidence of neuronal damage or loss of viability that could account for reduced ChAT activity under these conditions. Glutamate receptor antagonists fully blocked ChAT inhibition and oxidative stress induced by AβOs. Antioxidant polyunsaturated fatty acids had similar effects, indicating that oxidative damage may be involved in ChAT inhibition. Treatment with insulin, previously shown to down-regulate neuronal AβO binding sites, fully prevented AβO-induced inhibition of ChAT. Interestingly, we found that AβOs selectively bind to ~50% of cultured cholinergic neurons, suggesting that ChAT is fully inhibited in AβO-targeted neurons. Reduction in ChAT activity instigated by AβOs may thus be a relevant event in early stage AD pathology, preceding the loss of cholinergic neurons commonly observed in AD brains.

Amyloid-β oligomers induce differential gene expression in adult human brain slices

Cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease (AD) is increasingly attributed to the neuronal impact of soluble oligomers of the amyloid-β peptide (AβOs). Current knowledge on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the toxicity of AβOs stems largely from rodent-derived cell/tissue culture experiments or from transgenic models of AD, which do not necessarily recapitulate the complexity of the human disease. Here, we used DNA microarray and RT-PCR to investigate changes in transcription in adult human cortical slices exposed to sublethal doses of AβOs. The results revealed a set of 27 genes that showed consistent differential expression upon exposure of slices from three different donors to AβOs. Functional classification of differentially expressed genes revealed that AβOs impact pathways important for neuronal physiology and known to be dysregulated in AD, including vesicle trafficking, cell adhesion, actin cytoskeleton dynamics, and insulin signaling. Most genes (70%) were down-regulated by AβO treatment, suggesting a predominantly inhibitory effect on the corresponding pathways. Significantly, AβOs induced down-regulation of synaptophysin, a presynaptic vesicle membrane protein, suggesting a mechanism by which oligomers cause synapse failure. The results provide insight into early mechanisms of pathogenesis of AD and suggest that the neuronal pathways affected by AβOs may be targets for the development of novel diagnostic or therapeutic approaches.

The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine prevents the mitochondrial fragmentation induced by soluble amyloid-β peptide oligomers

BACKGROUND

Soluble amyloid-β peptide oligomers (AβOs), which are centrally involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, trigger Ca(2+) influx through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and stimulate reactive oxygen species generation in primary hippocampal neurons. We have previously reported that AβOs promote Ca(2+) release mediated by ryanodine receptors (RyR), which in turn triggers mitochondrial fragmentation. We have also reported that the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) prevents AβOs-induced Ca(2+) signal generation.

OBJECTIVES

To determine if RyR-mediated Ca(2+) release activated by the specific agonist 4-chloro-m-cresol (4-CMC) induces fragmentation of the mitochondrial network, and to ascertain if NAC prevents the mitochondrial fragmentation induced by AβOs and/or 4-CMC.

METHODS

Mature primary rat hippocampal neurons were incubated for 24 h with sublethal concentrations of AβOs (500 nM) or for 1-3 h with 4-CMC (0.5-1 mM), ± 10 mM NAC. Mitochondrial morphology was assessed by confocal microscopy of fixed neurons stained with anti-mHsp70. Intracellular Ca(2+) levels were determined by time series microscopy of neurons preloaded with Fluo-4 AM.

RESULTS

Preincubation of neurons for 30 min with NAC prevented the mitochondrial fragmentation induced by AβOs or 4-CMC. In addition, we confirmed that preincubation with NAC abolished the stimulation of RyR-mediated Ca(2+) release induced by AβOs or 4-CMC.

CONCLUSION

The present results strongly suggest that the general antioxidant NAC prevents AβO-induced mitochondrial fragmentation by preventing RyR-mediated Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release.

Activation of protein kinase C isozymes for the treatment of dementias

Memories are much more easily impaired than improved. Dementias, a lasting impairment of memory function, occur in a variety of cognitive disorders and become more clinically dominant as the population ages. Protein kinase C is one of the "cognitive kinases," and plays an essential role in both memory acquisition and maintenance. Deficits in protein kinase C (PKC) signal cascades in neurons represent one of the earliest changes in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other types of memory impairment, including those related to cerebral ischemia and ischemic stroke. Inhibition or impairment of PKC activity results in compromised learning and memory, whereas an appropriate activation of certain PKC isozymes leads to an enhancement of learning and memory and/or antidementic effects. In preclinical studies, PKC activators have been shown to increase the expression and activity of PKC isozymes, thereby restoring PKC signaling and downstream activity, including stimulation of neurotrophic activity, synaptic/structural remodeling, and synaptogenesis in the hippocampus and related cortical areas. PKC activators also reduce the accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid and tau protein hyperphosphorylation and support anti-apoptotic processes in the brain. These observations strongly suggest that PKC pharmacology may represent an attractive area for the development of effective cognition-enhancing therapeutics for the treatment of dementias.

Impaired mitochondrial biogenesis, defective axonal transport of mitochondria, abnormal mitochondrial dynamics and synaptic degeneration in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Increasing evidence suggests that the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in synapses and synaptic mitochondria causes synaptic mitochondrial failure and synaptic degeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this study was to better understand the effects of Aβ in mitochondrial activity and synaptic alterations in neurons from a mouse model of AD. Using primary neurons from a well-characterized Aβ precursor protein transgenic (AβPP) mouse model (Tg2576 mouse line), for the first time, we studied mitochondrial activity, including axonal transport of mitochondria, mitochondrial dynamics, morphology and function. Further, we also studied the nature of Aβ-induced synaptic alterations, and cell death in primary neurons from Tg2576 mice, and we sought to determine whether the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SS31 could mitigate the effects of oligomeric Aβ. We found significantly decreased anterograde mitochondrial movement, increased mitochondrial fission and decreased fusion, abnormal mitochondrial and synaptic proteins and defective mitochondrial function in primary neurons from AβPP mice compared with wild-type (WT) neurons. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a large number of small mitochondria and structurally damaged mitochondria, with broken cristae in AβPP primary neurons. We also found an increased accumulation of oligomeric Aβ and increased apoptotic neuronal death in the primary neurons from the AβPP mice relative to the WT neurons. Our results revealed an accumulation of intraneuronal oligomeric Aβ, leading to mitochondrial and synaptic deficiencies, and ultimately causing neurodegeneration in AβPP cultures. However, we found that the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SS31 restored mitochondrial transport and synaptic viability, and decreased the percentage of defective mitochondria, indicating that SS31 protects mitochondria and synapses from Aβ toxicity.

The Aβ oligomer hypothesis for synapse failure and memory loss in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the 3rd most costly disease and the leading cause of dementia. It can linger for many years, but ultimately is fatal, the 6th leading cause of death. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is fatal and affected individuals can sometimes linger many years. Current treatments are palliative and transient, not disease modifying. This article reviews progress in the search to identify the primary AD-causing toxins. We summarize the shift from an initial focus on amyloid plaques to the contemporary concept that AD memory failure is caused by small soluble oligomers of the Aβ peptide, toxins that target and disrupt particular synapses. Evidence is presented that links Aβ oligomers to pathogenesis in animal models and humans, with reference to seminal discoveries from cell biology and new ideas concerning pathogenic mechanisms, including relationships to diabetes and Fragile X. These findings have established the oligomer hypothesis as a new molecular basis for the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of AD.

CDK5 is essential for soluble amyloid β-induced degradation of GKAP and remodeling of the synaptic actin cytoskeleton

The early stages of Alzheimer's disease are marked by synaptic dysfunction and loss. This process results from the disassembly and degradation of synaptic components, in particular of scaffolding proteins that compose the post-synaptic density (PSD), namely PSD95, Homer and Shank. Here we investigated in rat frontal cortex dissociated culture the mechanisms involved in the downregulation of GKAP (SAPAP1), which links the PSD95 complex to the Shank complex and cytoskeletal structures within the PSD. We show that Aβ causes the rapid loss of GKAP from synapses through a pathway that critically requires cdk5 activity, and is set in motion by NMDAR activity and Ca(2+) influx. We show that GKAP is a direct substrate of cdk5 and that its phosphorylation results in polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of GKAP and remodeling (collapse) of the synaptic actin cytoskeleton; the latter effect is abolished in neurons expressing GKAP mutants that are resistant to phosphorylation by cdk5. Given that cdk5 also regulates degradation of PSD95, these results underscore the central position of cdk5 in mediating Aβ-induced PSD disassembly and synapse loss.

Redox control of brain calcium in health and disease

Calcium ion is a highly versatile cellular messenger. Calcium signals-defined as transient increments in intracellular-free calcium concentration-elicit a multiplicity of responses that depend on cell type and signal properties such as their intensity, duration, cellular localization, and frequency. The vast literature available on the role of calcium signals in brain cells, chiefly centered on neuronal cells, indicates that calcium signals regulate essential neuronal functions, including synaptic transmission, gene expression, synaptic plasticity processes underlying learning and memory, and survival or death. The eight articles comprising this forum issue address different and novel aspects of calcium signaling in normal neuronal function, including how calcium signals interact with the generation of reactive species of oxygen/nitrogen with various functional consequences, and focus also on how abnormal calcium homeostasis and signaling, plus oxidative stress, affect overall brain physiology during aging and in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.

Calcium ions promote formation of amyloid β-peptide (1-40) oligomers causally implicated in neuronal toxicity of Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) is directly linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD). In its monomeric form, Aβ aggregates to produce fibrils and a range of oligomers, the latter being the most neurotoxic. Dysregulation of Ca(2+) homeostasis in aging brains and in neurodegenerative disorders plays a crucial role in numerous processes and contributes to cell dysfunction and death. Here we postulated that calcium may enable or accelerate the aggregation of Aβ. We compared the aggregation pattern of Aβ(1-40) and that of Aβ(1-40)E22G, an amyloid peptide carrying the Arctic mutation that causes early onset of the disease. We found that in the presence of Ca(2+), Aβ(1-40) preferentially formed oligomers similar to those formed by Aβ(1-40)E22G with or without added Ca(2+), whereas in the absence of added Ca(2+) the Aβ(1-40) aggregated to form fibrils. Morphological similarities of the oligomers were confirmed by contact mode atomic force microscopy imaging. The distribution of oligomeric and fibrillar species in different samples was detected by gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis, the results of which were further supported by thioflavin T fluorescence experiments. In the samples without Ca(2+), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed conversion of oligomers from an anti-parallel β-sheet to the parallel β-sheet conformation characteristic of fibrils. Overall, these results led us to conclude that calcium ions stimulate the formation of oligomers of Aβ(1-40), that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AD.

Involvement of ryanodine receptors in neurotrophin-induced hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial memory formation

Ryanodine receptors (RyR) amplify activity-dependent calcium influx via calcium-induced calcium release. Calcium signals trigger postsynaptic pathways in hippocampal neurons that underlie synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. Recent evidence supports a role of the RyR2 and RyR3 isoforms in these processes. Along with calcium signals, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key signaling molecule for hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial memory. Upon binding to specific TrkB receptors, BDNF initiates complex signaling pathways that modify synaptic structure and function. Here, we show that BDNF-induced remodeling of hippocampal dendritic spines required functional RyR. Additionally, incubation with BDNF enhanced the expression of RyR2, RyR3, and PKMζ, an atypical protein kinase C isoform with key roles in hippocampal memory consolidation. Consistent with their increased RyR protein content, BDNF-treated neurons generated larger RyR-mediated calcium signals than controls. Selective inhibition of RyR-mediated calcium release with inhibitory ryanodine concentrations prevented the PKMζ, RyR2, and RyR3 protein content enhancement induced by BDNF. Intrahippocampal injection of BDNF or training rats in a spatial memory task enhanced PKMζ, RyR2, RyR3, and BDNF hippocampal protein content, while injection of ryanodine at concentrations that stimulate RyR-mediated calcium release improved spatial memory learning and enhanced memory consolidation. We propose that RyR-generated calcium signals are key features of the complex neuronal plasticity processes induced by BDNF, which include increased expression of RyR2, RyR3, and PKMζ and the spine remodeling required for spatial memory formation.