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Gao G, He J, Luo Y, Sun Y, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Xing Y, Dai J. Axonopathy Likely Initiates Neuropathological Processes Via a Mechanism of Axonal Leakage in Alzheimer's Mouse Models. Curr Mol Med 2020; 19:183-195. [PMID: 30961496 DOI: 10.2174/1566524019666190405174908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The formation of hyperphosphorylated tau and the production of β-amyloid are thought to be critical steps contributing to the pathological mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there has been a long-lasting debate over their importance in the onset of AD. Recent studies have demonstrated that axonopathy is considered as an early neuropathological change of AD. However, the exact relationship between the development of axonopathy and the classic neuropathological changes such as senile plaques (SPs) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) is unclear. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate whether the formation of SPs and NFTs is associated with the development of axonal leakage. METHOD AND RESULTS Here we show that the formation and development of axonal leakage - a novel axonopathy is an age-dependent process, accompanied by swellings of axons and varicosities and associated with chronic oxidative stress induced by thiamine deficient (TD) diet in Kunming mice. In an APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of AD, axonal leakage appears at 3 months, becomes more obvious at 6 months and severe, beyond 1 year. We also show that slight axonal leakage is related to the formation of hyperphosphorylated tau, but not plaques, and that only severe axonal leakage accompanied by the extensive swollen axons and varicosities, and overproduction of β-amyloid leads to the formation of SPs and hyperphosphorylated tau. CONCLUSION These data provide an explanation of the common origin and development of SPs and NFTs, and suggest that axonal leakage might be a key event in the development of the neuropathological processes in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Gao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jing He
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Clinical Laboratory of Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,The College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yanping Zhou
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Junxia Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ying Xing
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jiapei Dai
- Wuhan Institute for Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,The College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Distribution of granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor and its receptor α-subunit in the adult human brain with specific reference to Alzheimer's disease. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2012; 119:1389-406. [PMID: 22430742 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-012-0794-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2011] [Accepted: 03/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a member of the hematopoietic growth factor family, promoting proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells of the myeloid lineage. In recent years, GM-CSF has also proved to be an important neurotrophic factor in the central nervous system (CNS) via binding to the GM-CSF receptor (GM-CSF R). Furthermore, studies on rodent CNS revealed a wide distribution of both the major binding α-subunit of the GM-CSF R (GM-CSF Rα) and its ligand. Since respective data on the expression pattern of these two molecules are still lacking, the present study has been designed to systematically analyze the protein expression of GM-CSF and GM-CSF Rα in the human brain, with particular emphasis on their regulation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). One major finding is that both GM-CSF and GM-CSF Rα were ubiquitously but not uniformly expressed in neurons throughout the CNS. Protein expression of GM-CSF and GM-CSF Rα was not restricted to neurons but also detectable in astrocytes, ependymal cells and choroid plexus cells. Interestingly, distribution and intensity of immunohistochemical staining for GM-CSF did not differ among AD brains and age-matched controls. Concerning GM-CSF Rα, a marked reduction of protein expression was predominantly detected in the hippocampus although a slight reduction was also found in various cortical regions, thalamic nuclei and some brainstem nuclei. Since the hippocampus is one of the target regions of neurodegenerative changes in AD, reduction of GM-CSF Rα, with consecutive downregulation of GM-CSF signaling, may contribute to in the progressive course of neurodegeneration in AD.
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Nicolas A, Nourhashemi LF, Lanzmann‐Petithory D, Vellas B. Nutrition and Cognitive Function. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1523-5408.2001.00137.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne‐Sophie Nicolas
- Hôpital La Grave‐Casselardit, Toulouse
- Groupe Danone, Unité Recherche Nutrition,
Le Plessis‐Robinson, France
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Armstrong RA, Lantos PL, Cairns NJ. What determines the molecular composition of abnormal protein aggregates in neurodegenerative disease? Neuropathology 2008; 28:351-65. [PMID: 18433435 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1789.2008.00916.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal protein aggregates, in the form of either extracellular plaques or intracellular inclusions, are an important pathological feature of the majority of neurodegenerative disorders. The major molecular constituents of these lesions, viz., beta-amyloid (Abeta), tau, and alpha-synuclein, have played a defining role in the diagnosis and classification of disease and in studies of pathogenesis. The molecular composition of a protein aggregate, however, is often complex and could be the direct or indirect consequence of a pathogenic gene mutation, be the result of cell degeneration, or reflect the acquisition of new substances by diffusion and molecular binding to existing proteins. This review examines the molecular composition of the major protein aggregates found in the neurodegenerative diseases including the Abeta and prion protein (PrP) plaques found in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prion disease, respectively, and the cellular inclusions found in the tauopathies and synucleinopathies. The data suggest that the molecular constituents of a protein aggregate do not directly cause cell death but are largely the consequence of cell degeneration or are acquired during the disease process. These findings are discussed in relation to diagnosis and to studies of to disease pathogenesis.
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Masliah E, Sisk A, Mallory M, Games D. Neurofibrillary pathology in transgenic mice overexpressing V717F beta-amyloid precursor protein. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2001; 60:357-68. [PMID: 11305871 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/60.4.357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of mutated human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP717V-->F) under control of the platelet-derived growth factor promoter (PDAPP minigene) in transgenic (tg) mice results in plaque formation and astroglial activation similar to Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the extent of the neurofibrillary pathology in this model is less understood. In order to determine if these mice develop AD-like neurofibrillary pathology, vibratome sections from PDAPP tg mice (4- to 20-months-old) were immunolabeled with antibodies against phosphorylated tau (AT8) and phosphorylated neurofilaments (SMI 312, TA51), and analyzed by laser scanning confocal and electron microscopy. Phosphorylated neurofilament-immunoreactive dystrophic neurites in plaques were first seen in mice at 10 to 12 months of age, while phosphorylated tau-immunoreactive dystrophic neurites were observed after 14 months of age. Immunoelectron microscopic analysis revealed that phosphorylated neurofilament immunoreactivity was diffusely distributed along filamentous aggregates (12-15 nm in diameter) in the plaque dystrophic neurites, and occasionally in neuronal cell bodies. In contrast, phosphorylated tau immunoreactivity was observed as clusters distributed along filamentous structures accumulating in the dystrophic neurites and around neurotubules in the axons. However, no paired helical filaments were observed. Taken together, these studies indicate that the PDAPP tg model recapitulates early cytoskeletal pathology similar to that observed in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Masliah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0624, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Smith
- Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
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Hüll M, Berger M, Volk B, Bauer J. Occurrence of interleukin-6 in cortical plaques of Alzheimer's disease patients may precede transformation of diffuse into neuritic plaques. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1996; 777:205-12. [PMID: 8624085 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1996.tb34420.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) immunoreactivity has previously been shown in plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and elevated IL-6 concentrations have been measured biochemically in brains of AD patients. In this report, we present data on the appearance of IL-6 immunoreactivity in AD plaques according to the stage of plaque formation. Diffuse plaques are found in the early stages of plaque formation, whereas primitive and classic plaques are thought to represent later stages of plaque pathology. We classified plaques using the Bielschowsky silver stain method in serial sections of paraffin-embedded cortices of clinically diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed AD patients and patients with no clinical history of dementia. In the brains of nondemented and demented persons, we found plaques using the silver staining method or immunohistochemistry with antibodies against the amyloid precursor protein. In the nondemented group, diffuse plaques were the predominant plaque type, whereas primitive plaques formed the larger proportion of lesions in the group of AD brains. IL-6 was only detectable in plaques of demented patients. In AD cases, IL-6 was found in a significantly higher ratio in diffuse plaques as would have been expected from a random distribution of IL-6 in all plaque types. We conclude that the presence of IL-6 immunoreactivity correlates with clinically detectable dementia. In addition to the ubiquitous presence of amyloid in nondemented and demented brains, an IL-6-related immunological mechanism may be involved both in the transformation from diffuse to primitive plaques in AD and in the development of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hüll
- Department of Psychiatry, Freiburg University Medical School, Germany
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9
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Senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles: The concurrent lesions of alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 1995. [DOI: 10.1016/0197-4580(94)00178-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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10
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Trojanowski JQ, Shin RW, Schmidt ML, Lee VM. Relationship between plaques, tangles, and dystrophic processes in Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 1995; 16:335-40; discussion 341-5. [PMID: 7566343 DOI: 10.1016/0197-4580(94)00176-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104, USA
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Smith MA, Siedlak SL, Richey PL, Mulvihill P, Ghiso J, Frangione B, Tagliavini F, Giaccone G, Bugiani O, Praprotnik D. Tau protein directly interacts with the amyloid beta-protein precursor: implications for Alzheimer's disease. Nat Med 1995; 1:365-9. [PMID: 7585068 DOI: 10.1038/nm0495-365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The simultaneous presence of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and extracellular senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggests that the two lesions could be synergistically interrelated. However, although the main protein components of NFT and senile plaques, tau (tau) and amyloid beta-protein, respectively, are well characterized, the molecular mechanisms responsible for their deposition in lesions are unknown. We demonstrate, using four independent techniques, that tau directly interacts with a conformation-dependent domain of the amyloid beta-protein precursor (beta PP) encompassing residues beta PP714-723. The putative tau-binding domain includes beta PP717 mutation sites that are associated with familial forms of AD. Our findings strongly suggest that NFT and senile plaques, often thought of as independent structures, may play a role in each other's formation during the pathogenesis of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Smith
- Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
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Trojanowski JQ, Lee VM. Phosphorylation of neuronal cytoskeletal proteins in Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementias. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1994; 747:92-109. [PMID: 7847694 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb44403.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104
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Abstract
The spatial patterns of diffuse, primitive and classic beta/A4 deposits were studied in coronal sections of the hippocampus and adjacent gyri in 11 cases of Down's syndrome (DS) varying in age from 38 to 67 years. The objectives of the study were first, to compare the spatial patterns of beta/A4 deposits revealed in DS with those reported in cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and second, to study how the spatial patterns of beta/A4 deposits may develop in the tissue. The spatial patterns revealed in DS exhibited a number of similarities with those reported in AD: (1) the range and frequency of the different types of spatial pattern revealed were similar, (2) beta/A4 deposits occurred in clusters and in many cortical tissues, the clusters were distributed in a regular pattern parallel to the pia, (3) the clusters of diffuse and primitive beta/A4 deposits occurred in an alternating pattern along the cortex, and (4) the clusters of classic beta/A4 deposits were not correlated with the clusters of the diffuse and primitive deposits. Primitive deposits may develop from the diffuse deposits in regions of the cortex where extracellular paired helical filaments were formed. However, clusters of the classic beta/A4 deposits, which are formed in older cases, appear to develop independently of the diffuse and primitive deposits.
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Armstrong RA. Differences in beta-amyloid (beta/A4) deposition in human patients with Down's syndrome and sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Lett 1994; 169:133-6. [PMID: 8047269 DOI: 10.1016/0304-3940(94)90374-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The density of diffuse, primitive, classic and compact beta-amyloid (beta/A4) deposits was estimated in the hippocampus and adjacent gyri in human patients with Down's syndrome (DS) and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of the study was to determine whether there were differences in beta/A4 deposition in DS and sporadic AD and whether these differences could be attributed to overexpression of the amyloid precursor gene (APP) in DS. Total beta/A4 deposit density was greater in DS than AD in all brain regions studied but the DS/AD density ratios varied between brain regions. In the majority of brain regions, the ratio of primitive to diffuse beta/A4 deposits was greater in DS but the ratio of classic to diffuse deposits was greater in AD. The data were consistent with the hypothesis that overexpression of the APP gene in DS may lead to increased beta/A4 deposition. However, local brain factors also appear to be important in beta/A4 deposition in DS. Overexpression of the APP gene may also be responsible for increased production of paired helical filaments (PHF) and result in enhanced formation of primitive beta/A4 deposits in DS. In addition, increased formation of classic deposits in AD suggests that factors necessary for the production of a compact amyloid core are enhanced in AD compared with DS.
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Abstract
Neuritic plaque-affected neurons may transform into neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons in the aging human brain, at varying speeds depending on cell size. Smaller neurons have a greater chance to overcome the plaque stage and survive, without tangles.
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Affiliation(s)
- S U Dani
- Institut für Neuropathologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Germany
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