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Korde DS, Humpel C. A Combination of Heavy Metals and Intracellular Pathway Modulators Induces Alzheimer Disease-like Pathologies in Organotypic Brain Slices. Biomolecules 2024; 14:165. [PMID: 38397402 PMCID: PMC10887098 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Modelling aspects of AD is challenging due to its complex multifactorial etiology and pathology. The present study aims to establish a cost-effective and rapid method to model the two primary pathologies in organotypic brain slices. Coronal hippocampal brain slices (150 µm) were generated from postnatal (day 8-10) C57BL6 wild-type mice and cultured for 9 weeks. Collagen hydrogels containing either an empty load or a mixture of human Aβ42 and P301S aggregated tau were applied to the slices. The media was further supplemented with various intracellular pathway modulators or heavy metals to augment the appearance of Aβ plaques and tau NFTs, as assessed by immunohistochemistry. Immunoreactivity for Aβ and tau was significantly increased in the ventral areas in slices with a mixture of human Aβ42 and P301S aggregated tau compared to slices with empty hydrogels. Aβ plaque- and tau NFT-like pathologies could be induced independently in slices. Heavy metals (aluminum, lead, cadmium) potently augmented Aβ plaque-like pathology, which developed intracellularly prior to cell death. Intracellular pathway modulators (scopolamine, wortmannin, MHY1485) significantly boosted tau NFT-like pathologies. A combination of nanomolar concentrations of scopolamine, wortmannin, MHY1485, lead, and cadmium in the media strongly increased Aβ plaque- and tau NFT-like immunoreactivity in ventral areas compared to the slices with non-supplemented media. The results highlight that we could harness the potential of the collagen hydrogel-based spreading of human Aβ42 and P301S aggregated tau, along with pharmacological manipulation, to produce pathologies relevant to AD. The results offer a novel ex vivo organotypic slice model to investigate AD pathologies with potential applications for screening drugs or therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Humpel
- Laboratory of Psychiatry and Experimental Alzheimer’s Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
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2
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Gallego Villarejo L, Bachmann L, Marks D, Brachthäuser M, Geidies A, Müller T. Role of Intracellular Amyloid β as Pathway Modulator, Biomarker, and Therapy Target. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094656. [PMID: 35563046 PMCID: PMC9103247 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The β- and γ-secretase-driven cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gives rise to the amyloid β peptide, which is believed to be the main driver of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As it is prominently detectable in extracellular plaques in post-mortem AD brain samples, research in recent decades focused on the pathological role of extracellular amyloid β aggregation, widely neglecting the potential meaning of very early generation of amyloid β inside the cell. In the last few years, the importance of intracellular amyloid β (iAβ) as a strong player in neurodegeneration has been indicated by a rising number of studies. In this review, iAβ is highlighted as a crucial APP cleavage fragment, able to manipulate intracellular pathways and foster neurodegeneration. We demonstrate its relevance as a pathological marker and shed light on initial studies aiming to modulate iAβ through pharmacological treatment, which has been shown to have beneficial effects on cognitive properties in animal models. Finally, we display the relevance of viral infections on iAβ generation and point out future directions urgently needed to manifest the potential relevance of iAβ in Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Gallego Villarejo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Signalling, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (L.G.V.); (L.B.); (D.M.); (M.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Lisa Bachmann
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Signalling, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (L.G.V.); (L.B.); (D.M.); (M.B.); (A.G.)
| | - David Marks
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Signalling, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (L.G.V.); (L.B.); (D.M.); (M.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Maite Brachthäuser
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Signalling, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (L.G.V.); (L.B.); (D.M.); (M.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Alexander Geidies
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Signalling, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (L.G.V.); (L.B.); (D.M.); (M.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Thorsten Müller
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Signalling, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (L.G.V.); (L.B.); (D.M.); (M.B.); (A.G.)
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence:
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3
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Habif M, Do Carmo S, Báez MV, Colettis NC, Cercato MC, Salas DA, Acutain MF, Sister CL, Berkowicz VL, Canal MP, González Garello T, Cuello AC, Jerusalinsky DA. Early Long-Term Memory Impairment and Changes in the Expression of Synaptic Plasticity-Associated Genes, in the McGill-R-Thy1-APP Rat Model of Alzheimer's-Like Brain Amyloidosis. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 12:585873. [PMID: 33551786 PMCID: PMC7862771 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.585873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Accruing evidence supports the hypothesis that memory deficits in early Alzheimer Disease (AD) might be due to synaptic failure caused by accumulation of intracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers, then secreted to the extracellular media. Transgenic mouse AD models provide valuable information on AD pathology. However, the failure to translate these findings to humans calls for models that better recapitulate the human pathology. McGill-R-Thy1-APP transgenic (Tg) rat expresses the human amyloid precursor protein (APP751) with the Swedish and Indiana mutations (of familial AD), leading to an AD-like slow-progressing brain amyloid pathology. Therefore, it offers a unique opportunity to investigate learning and memory abilities at early stages of AD, when Aβ accumulation is restricted to the intracellular compartment, prior to plaque deposition. Our goal was to further investigate early deficits in memory, particularly long-term memory in McGill-R-Thy1-APP heterozygous (Tg+/–) rats. Short-term- and long-term habituation to an open field were preserved in 3-, 4-, and 6-month-old (Tg+/–). However, long-term memory of inhibitory avoidance to a foot-shock, novel object-recognition and social approaching behavior were seriously impaired in 4-month-old (Tg+/–) male rats, suggesting that they are unable to either consolidate and/or evoke such associative and discriminative memories with aversive, emotional and spatial components. The long-term memory deficits were accompanied by increased transcript levels of genes relevant to synaptic plasticity, learning and memory processing in the hippocampus, such as Grin2b, Dlg4, Camk2b, and Syn1. Our findings indicate that in addition to the previously well-documented deficits in learning and memory, McGill-R-Thy1-APP rats display particular long-term-memory deficits and deep social behavior alterations at pre-plaque early stages of the pathology. This highlights the importance of Aβ oligomers and emphasizes the validity of the model to study AD-like early processes, with potentially predictive value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martín Habif
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sonia Do Carmo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - María Verónica Báez
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia Claudia Colettis
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Magalí Cecilia Cercato
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Alejandra Salas
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Florencia Acutain
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Caterina Laura Sister
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria Laura Berkowicz
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Pilar Canal
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tomás González Garello
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Diana Alicia Jerusalinsky
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxins (LaN&N), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Foret MK, Lincoln R, Do Carmo S, Cuello AC, Cosa G. Connecting the "Dots": From Free Radical Lipid Autoxidation to Cell Pathology and Disease. Chem Rev 2020; 120:12757-12787. [PMID: 33211489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of lipid peroxidation in biology and medicine is rapidly evolving, as it is increasingly implicated in various diseases but also recognized as a key part of normal cell function, signaling, and death (ferroptosis). Not surprisingly, the root and consequences of lipid peroxidation have garnered increasing attention from multiple disciplines in recent years. Here we "connect the dots" between the fundamental chemistry underpinning the cascade reactions of lipid peroxidation (enzymatic or free radical), the reactive nature of the products formed (lipid-derived electrophiles), and the biological targets and mechanisms associated with these products that culminate in cellular responses. We additionally bring light to the use of highly sensitive, fluorescence-based methodologies. Stemming from the foundational concepts in chemistry and biology, these methodologies enable visualizing and quantifying each reaction in the cascade in a cellular and ultimately tissue context, toward deciphering the connections between the chemistry and physiology of lipid peroxidation. The review offers a platform in which the chemistry and biomedical research communities can access a comprehensive summary of fundamental concepts regarding lipid peroxidation, experimental tools for the study of such processes, as well as the recent discoveries by leading investigators with an emphasis on significant open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan K Foret
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1Y6
| | - Richard Lincoln
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 0B8
| | - Sonia Do Carmo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1Y6
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1Y6.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 0C7.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4
| | - Gonzalo Cosa
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 0B8
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5
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Evidence of intraneuronal Aβ accumulation preceding tau pathology in the entorhinal cortex. Acta Neuropathol 2018; 136:901-917. [PMID: 30362029 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-1922-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence gathered from transgenic animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) indicates that the intraneuronal accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides is an early event in the AD pathogenesis, producing cognitive deficits before the deposition of insoluble plaques. Levels of soluble Aβ are also a strong indicator of synaptic deficits and concurrent AD neuropathologies in post-mortem AD brain; however, it remains poorly understood how this soluble amyloid pool builds within the brain in the decades leading up to diagnosis, when a patient is likely most amenable to early therapeutic interventions. Indeed, characterizing early intracellular Aβ accumulation in humans has been hampered by the lack of Aβ-specific antibodies, variability in the quality of available human brain tissue and the limitations of conventional microscopy. We therefore sought to investigate the development of the intraneuronal Aβ pathology using extremely high-quality post-mortem brain material obtained from a cohort of non-demented subjects with short post-mortem intervals and processed by perfusion-fixation. Using well-characterized monoclonal antibodies, we demonstrate that the age-dependent intraneuronal accumulation of soluble Aβ is pervasive throughout the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus, and that this phase of the amyloid pathology becomes established within AD-vulnerable regions before the deposition of Aβ plaques and the formation of tau neurofibrillary tangles. We also show for the first time in post-mortem human brain that Aβ oligomers do in fact accumulate intraneuronally, before the formation of extracellular plaques. Finally, we validated the origin of the Aβ-immunopositive pool by resolving Aβ- and APP/CTF-immunoreactive sites using super resolution structured illumination microscopy. Together, these findings indicate that the lifelong accrual of intraneuronal Aβ may be a potential trigger for downstream AD-related pathogenic events in early disease stages.
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6
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Wilson EN, Abela AR, Do Carmo S, Allard S, Marks AR, Welikovitch LA, Ducatenzeiler A, Chudasama Y, Cuello AC. Intraneuronal Amyloid Beta Accumulation Disrupts Hippocampal CRTC1-Dependent Gene Expression and Cognitive Function in a Rat Model of Alzheimer Disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 27:1501-1511. [PMID: 26759481 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhv332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
In Alzheimer disease (AD), the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) begins decades before cognitive symptoms and progresses from intraneuronal material to extracellular plaques. To date, however, the precise mechanism by which the early buildup of Aβ peptides leads to cognitive dysfunction remains unknown. Here, we investigate the impact of the early Aβ accumulation on temporal and frontal lobe dysfunction. We compared the performance of McGill-R-Thy1-APP transgenic AD rats with wild-type littermate controls on a visual discrimination task using a touchscreen operant platform. Subsequently, we conducted studies to establish the biochemical and molecular basis for the behavioral alterations. It was found that the presence of intraneuronal Aβ caused a severe associative learning deficit in the AD rats. This coincided with reduced nuclear translocation and genomic occupancy of the CREB co-activator, CRTC1, and decreased production of synaptic plasticity-associated transcripts Arc, c-fos, Egr1, and Bdnf. Thus, blockade of CRTC1-dependent gene expression in the early, preplaque phase of AD-like pathology provides a molecular basis for the cognitive deficits that figure so prominently in early AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward N Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QCCanadaH3G 1Y6
| | - Andrew R Abela
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QCCanadaH3A 1B1
| | - Sonia Do Carmo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QCCanadaH3G 1Y6
| | - Simon Allard
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QCCanadaH3G 1Y6
| | - Adam R Marks
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QCCanadaH3G 1Y6
| | - Lindsay A Welikovitch
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QCCanadaH3G 1Y6
| | - Adriana Ducatenzeiler
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QCCanadaH3G 1Y6
| | - Yogita Chudasama
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada H3A 1B1.,Current address: National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada H3G 1Y6.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada
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7
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Head E, Helman AM, Powell D, Schmitt FA. Down syndrome, beta-amyloid and neuroimaging. Free Radic Biol Med 2018; 114:102-109. [PMID: 28935420 PMCID: PMC5748259 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on the role of Aβ in AD pathogenesis in Down syndrome and current approaches for imaging Aβ in vivo. We will describe how Aβ deposits with age, the posttranslational modifications that can occur, and detection in biofluids. Three unique case studies describing partial trisomy 21 cases without APP triplication, and the occurrences of low level mosaic trisomy 21 in an early onset AD patient are presented. Brain imaging for Aβ includes those by positron emission tomography and ligands (Pittsburgh Compound B, Florbetapir, and FDDNP) that bind Aβ have been published and are summarized here. In combination, we have learned a great deal about Aβ in DS in terms of characterizing age of onset of this pathology and it is exciting to note that there is a clinical trial in DS targeting Aβ that may lead to clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Head
- University of Kentucky, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, 800 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, United States; University of Kentucky, Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
| | - Alex M Helman
- University of Kentucky, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, 800 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, United States; University of Kentucky, Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, Lexington, KY 40536, United States; University of Kentucky, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, Lexington, KY 40536, United States; University of Kentucky, Department of Neurology, Lexington, KY 40536, United States
| | - David Powell
- University of Kentucky, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, Lexington, KY 40536, United States
| | - Frederick A Schmitt
- University of Kentucky, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, 800 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, United States; University of Kentucky, Department of Neurology, Lexington, KY 40536, United States
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8
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Rescue of Early bace-1 and Global DNA Demethylation by S-Adenosylmethionine Reduces Amyloid Pathology and Improves Cognition in an Alzheimer's Model. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34051. [PMID: 27681803 PMCID: PMC5041108 DOI: 10.1038/srep34051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
General DNA hypomethylation is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it is unclear when DNA hypomethylation starts or plays a role in AD pathology or whether DNA re-methylation would rescue early amyloid-related cognitive impairments. In an APP transgenic mouse model of AD-like amyloid pathology we found that early intraneuronal amyloid beta build-up is sufficient to unleash a global and beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (bace-1) DNA demethylation in AD-vulnerable brain regions. S-adenosylmethionine administration at these early stages abolished this hypomethylation, diminished the amyloid pathology and restored cognitive capabilities. To assess a possible human significance of findings, we examined the methylation at 12 CpGs sites in the bace-1 promoter, using genome-wide DNA methylation data from 740 postmortem human brains. Thus, we found significant associations of bace-1 promoter methylation with β-amyloid load among persons with AD dementia, and PHFtau tangle density. Our results support a plausible causal role for the earliest amyloid beta accumulation to provoke DNA hypomethylation, influencing AD pathological outcomes.
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9
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Puzzo D, Gulisano W, Arancio O, Palmeri A. The keystone of Alzheimer pathogenesis might be sought in Aβ physiology. Neuroscience 2015; 307:26-36. [PMID: 26314631 PMCID: PMC4591241 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 08/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
For several years Amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) has been considered the main pathogenetic factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD). According to the so called Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis the increase of Aβ triggers a series of events leading to synaptic dysfunction and memory loss as well as to the structural brain damage in the later stage of the disease. However, several evidences suggest that this hypothesis is not sufficient to explain AD pathogenesis, especially considering that most of the clinical trials aimed to decrease Aβ levels have been unsuccessful. Moreover, Aβ is physiologically produced in the healthy brain during neuronal activity and it is needed for synaptic plasticity and memory. Here we propose a model interpreting AD pathogenesis as an alteration of the negative feedback loop between Aβ and its physiological receptors, focusing on alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAchRs). According to this vision, when Aβ cannot exert its physiological function a negative feedback mechanism would induce a compensatory increase of its production leading to an abnormal accumulation that reduces α7-nAchR function, leading to synaptic dysfunction and memory loss. In this perspective, the indiscriminate Aβ removal might worsen neuronal homeostasis, causing a further impoverishment of learning and memory. Even if further studies are needed to better understand and validate these mechanisms, we believe that to deepen the role of Aβ in physiological conditions might represent the keystone to elucidate important aspects of AD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Puzzo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, Viale A. Doria 6 (ed. 2), University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy.
| | - W Gulisano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, Viale A. Doria 6 (ed. 2), University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy
| | - O Arancio
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, 630 West 168th Street, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - A Palmeri
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, Viale A. Doria 6 (ed. 2), University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy
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10
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Bar-Am O, Amit T, Youdim MB, Weinreb O. Neuroprotective and neurorestorative potential of propargylamine derivatives in ageing: focus on mitochondrial targets. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2015; 123:125-35. [PMID: 25859841 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-015-1395-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The mitochondrial theory of ageing proposes that accumulation of damage to mitochondrial function and DNA mutation lead to ageing of humans and animals. It has been suggested that mitochondria play dynamic roles in regulating synaptogenesis and morphological/functional responses of synaptic activity, and thus, deteriorating of mitochondrial function (e.g., deficits of the mitochondrial respiratory enzymes, reduced calcium influx, increased accumulation of mitochondrial DNA defects/apoptotic proteins and impairment of mitochondrial membrane potential) can lead to severe neuronal energy deficit, and in the long run, to modifications in neuronal synapses and neurodegeneration in the ageing brain. Hence, considering the mechanisms by which mitochondrial impairment can lead to neuronal death, the development of neuroprotective molecules that target various mitochondrial pathogenic processes can be effective in the treatment of ageing and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. This review addresses several aspects of the neuroprotective effects of propargylamine derivatives (e.g., the monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors, selegiline and rasagiline and the multifunctional drugs, ladostigil, M30 and VAR10303) in ageing with a special focus on mitochondrial molecular protective mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orit Bar-Am
- Eve Topf Centers of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, P.O.B. 9697, 31096, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tamar Amit
- Eve Topf Centers of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, P.O.B. 9697, 31096, Haifa, Israel
| | - Moussa B Youdim
- Eve Topf Centers of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, P.O.B. 9697, 31096, Haifa, Israel
| | - Orly Weinreb
- Eve Topf Centers of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, P.O.B. 9697, 31096, Haifa, Israel.
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11
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Roy M, Cardoso C, Dorieux O, Malgorn C, Epelbaum S, Petit F, Kraska A, Brouillet E, Delatour B, Perret M, Aujard F, Dhenain M. Age-associated evolution of plasmatic amyloid in mouse lemur primates: relationship with intracellular amyloid deposition. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 36:149-56. [PMID: 25131002 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2012] [Revised: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) deposition in the brain is one of its hallmarks, and the measure of plasma Aβ is considered to be a biomarker for anti-amyloid drug efficacy in animal models of AD. However, age-associated plasmatic Aβ modulation in animal models is practically never addressed in the literature. Mouse lemur primates are used as a model of normal and AD-like cerebral aging. Here, we studied the effect of age on plasmatic Aβ in 58 mouse lemurs aged from 1 to 10 years. A subset of animals presented high plasmatic Aβ, and the proportion of animals with high plasmatic Aβ was higher in aged animals as compared with young ones. Histologic evaluation of the brain of some of these animals was carried out to assess extracellular and intracellular amyloid load. In aged lemurs, plasmatic Aβ was negatively correlated with the density of neurons accumulating deposits of Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Roy
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; Research Center on Aging, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Cécile Cardoso
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Olène Dorieux
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS UMR 7179, MNHN, Brunoy, France
| | - Carole Malgorn
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Stéphane Epelbaum
- Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France; UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Paris, France; Inserm, U 1127, Paris, France; CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France; ICM, Paris, France
| | - Fanny Petit
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Audrey Kraska
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Benoît Delatour
- Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France; UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Paris, France; Inserm, U 1127, Paris, France; CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France; ICM, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Marc Dhenain
- CEA, DSV, I2BM, MIRCen, URA CEA CNRS 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France; CNRS, URA 2210, Fontenay aux Roses, France.
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Iulita MF, Allard S, Richter L, Munter LM, Ducatenzeiler A, Weise C, Do Carmo S, Klein WL, Multhaup G, Cuello AC. Intracellular Aβ pathology and early cognitive impairments in a transgenic rat overexpressing human amyloid precursor protein: a multidimensional study. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2014; 2:61. [PMID: 24903713 PMCID: PMC4229908 DOI: 10.1186/2051-5960-2-61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have implicated the abnormal accumulation of intraneuronal amyloid-β (Aβ) as an important contributor to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, capable of triggering neuroinflammation, tau hyperphosphorylation and cognitive deficits. However, the occurrence and pathological relevance of intracellular Aβ remain a matter of controversial debate. In this study, we have used a multidimensional approach including high-magnification and super-resolution microscopy, cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) mass spectrometry analysis and ELISA to investigate the Aβ pathology and its associated cognitive impairments, in a novel transgenic rat model overexpressing human APP. Our microscopy studies with quantitative co-localization analysis revealed the presence of intraneuronal Aβ in transgenic rats, with an immunological signal that was clearly distinguished from that of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its C-terminal fragments (CTFs). The early intraneuronal pathology was accompanied by a significant elevation of soluble Aβ42 peptides that paralleled the presence and progression of early cognitive deficits, several months prior to amyloid plaque deposition. Aβ38, Aβ39, Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides were detected in the rat CSF by MALDI-MS analysis even at the plaque-free stages; suggesting that a combination of intracellular and soluble extracellular Aβ may be responsible for impairing cognition at early time points. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the intraneuronal development of AD-like amyloid pathology includes a mixture of molecular species (Aβ, APP and CTFs) of which a considerable component is Aβ; and that the early presence of these species within neurons has deleterious effects in the CNS, even before the development of full-blown AD-like pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Florencia Iulita
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
| | - Simon Allard
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
| | - Luise Richter
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
| | - Lisa-Marie Munter
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
| | - Adriana Ducatenzeiler
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
| | - Christoph Weise
- />Intitutes of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonia Do Carmo
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
| | - William L Klein
- />Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Northwestern University Institute for Neuroscience, Chicago, USA
| | - Gerhard Multhaup
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- />Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Sir-William-Osler Promenade, Room 1210, Montreal, Quebec Canada
- />Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- />Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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