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Zhong MZ, Peng T, Duarte ML, Wang M, Cai D. Updates on mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:23. [PMID: 38462606 PMCID: PMC10926682 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00712-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States (US). Animal models, specifically mouse models have been developed to better elucidate disease mechanisms and test therapeutic strategies for AD. A large portion of effort in the field was focused on developing transgenic (Tg) mouse models through over-expression of genetic mutations associated with familial AD (FAD) patients. Newer generations of mouse models through knock-in (KI)/knock-out (KO) or CRISPR gene editing technologies, have been developed for both familial and sporadic AD risk genes with the hope to more accurately model proteinopathies without over-expression of human AD genes in mouse brains. In this review, we summarized the phenotypes of a few commonly used as well as newly developed mouse models in translational research laboratories including the presence or absence of key pathological features of AD such as amyloid and tau pathology, synaptic and neuronal degeneration as well as cognitive and behavior deficits. In addition, advantages and limitations of these AD mouse models have been elaborated along with discussions of any sex-specific features. More importantly, the omics data from available AD mouse models have been analyzed to categorize molecular signatures of each model reminiscent of human AD brain changes, with the hope to guide future selection of most suitable models for specific research questions to be addressed in the AD field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Z Zhong
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Thomas Peng
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Science Research Program, Scarsdale High School, New York, NY, 10583, USA
| | - Mariana Lemos Duarte
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Research & Development, James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10468, USA.
| | - Minghui Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Dongming Cai
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Research & Development, James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10468, USA.
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Neurology, N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Geriatric Research Education & Clinical Center (GRECC), The Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, USA.
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2
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Pádua MS, Guil-Guerrero JL, Prates JAM, Lopes PA. Insights on the Use of Transgenic Mice Models in Alzheimer's Disease Research. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2805. [PMID: 38474051 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia, presents a significant global health challenge with no known cure to date. Central to our understanding of AD pathogenesis is the β-amyloid cascade hypothesis, which underlies drug research and discovery efforts. Despite extensive studies, no animal models of AD have completely validated this hypothesis. Effective AD models are essential for accurately replicating key pathological features of the disease, notably the formation of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. These pathological markers are primarily driven by mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1) genes in familial AD (FAD) and by tau protein mutations for the tangle pathology. Transgenic mice models have been instrumental in AD research, heavily relying on the overexpression of mutated APP genes to simulate disease conditions. However, these models do not entirely replicate the human condition of AD. This review aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the historical and ongoing research efforts in AD, particularly through the use of transgenic mice models. It is focused on the benefits gathered from these transgenic mice models in understanding β-amyloid toxicity and the broader biological underpinnings of AD. Additionally, the review critically assesses the application of these models in the preclinical testing of new therapeutic interventions, highlighting the gap between animal models and human clinical realities. This analysis underscores the need for refinement in AD research methodologies to bridge this gap and enhance the translational value of preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda Soares Pádua
- CIISA-Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para Ciência Animal e Veterinária (AL4AnimalS), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José L Guil-Guerrero
- Departamento de Tecnología de Alimentos, Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - José A M Prates
- CIISA-Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para Ciência Animal e Veterinária (AL4AnimalS), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paula Alexandra Lopes
- CIISA-Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para Ciência Animal e Veterinária (AL4AnimalS), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
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3
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Murayama MA. The past and present of therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's diseases: potential for stem cell therapy. Exp Anim 2023; 72:285-293. [PMID: 36878603 PMCID: PMC10435354 DOI: 10.1538/expanim.22-0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive dysfunction and neuropsychiatric symptoms, is the most prevalent form of dementia among the elderly. Amyloid aggregation, tau hyperphosphorylation, and neural cell loss are the main pathological features. Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the development of AD. Some therapeutic agents have shown clinical benefits in patients with AD; however, many of these agents have failed. The degree of neural cell loss is associated with the severity of AD. Adult neurogenesis, which governs cognitive and emotional behaviors, occurs in the hippocampus, and some research groups have reported that neural cell transplantation into the hippocampus improves cognitive dysfunction in AD model mice. Based on these clinical findings, stem cell therapy for patients with AD has recently attracted attention. This review provides past and present therapeutic strategies for the management and treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masanori A Murayama
- Department of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Institute of Biomedical Science, Kansai Medical University, Shinmachi 2-5-1, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010, Japan
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4
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Wojtunik-Kulesza K, Rudkowska M, Orzeł-Sajdłowska A. Aducanumab-Hope or Disappointment for Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054367. [PMID: 36901797 PMCID: PMC10002282 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In June 2021, the world was informed about a new drug for Alzheimer's disease approved by the FDA. Aducanumab (BIIB037, ADU), being a monoclonal antibody IgG1, is the newest AD treatment. The activity of the drug is targeted towards amyloid β, which is considered one of the main causes of Alzheimer's disease. Clinical trials have revealed time- and dose-dependent activity towards Aβ reduction, as well as cognition improvement. Biogen, the company responsible for conducting research and introducing the drug to the market, presents the drug as a solution to cognitive impairment, but its limitations, costs, and side effects are controversial. The framework of the paper focuses on the mechanism of aducanumab's action along with the positive and negative sides of the therapy. The review presents the basis of the amyloid hypothesis that is the cornerstone of therapy, as well as the latest information about aducanumab, its mechanism of action, and the possibility of the use of the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Wojtunik-Kulesza
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Monika Rudkowska
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 4, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
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Luo JJ, Wallace W, Kusiak JW. A tough trek in the development of an anti-amyloid therapy for Alzheimer's disease: Do we see hope in the distance? J Neurol Sci 2022; 438:120294. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Dudal S, Bissantz C, Caruso A, David-Pierson P, Driessen W, Koller E, Krippendorff BF, Lechmann M, Olivares-Morales A, Paehler A, Rynn C, Türck D, Van De Vyver A, Wang K, Winther L. Translating pharmacology models effectively to predict therapeutic benefit. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:1604-1621. [PMID: 35304340 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Many in vitro and in vivo models are used in pharmacological research to evaluate the role of targeted proteins in a disease. Understanding the translational relevance and limitation of these models for analyzing the disposition, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile, mechanism, and efficacy of a drug, is essential when selecting the most appropriate model of the disease of interest and predicting clinically efficacious doses of the investigational drug. Here, we review selected animal models used in ophthalmology, infectious diseases, oncology, autoimmune diseases, and neuroscience. Each area has specific challenges around translatability and determination of an efficacious dose: new patient-specific dosing methods could help overcome these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ken Wang
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
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Nakatsuka D, Izumi T, Tsukamoto T, Oyama M, Nishitomi K, Deguchi Y, Niidome K, Yamakawa H, Ito H, Ogawa K. Histone Deacetylase 2 Knockdown Ameliorates Morphological Abnormalities of Dendritic Branches and Spines to Improve Synaptic Plasticity in an APP/PS1 Transgenic Mouse Model. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:782375. [PMID: 34899185 PMCID: PMC8652290 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.782375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease-modifying therapies, such as neuroprotective and neurorestorative interventions, are strongly desired for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment. Several studies have suggested that histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) inhibition can exhibit disease-modifying effects in AD patients. However, whether HDAC2 inhibition shows neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects under neuropathic conditions, such as amyloid β (Aβ)-elevated states, remains poorly understood. Here, we performed HDAC2-specific knockdown in CA1 pyramidal cells and showed that HDAC2 knockdown increased the length of dendrites and the number of mushroom-like spines of CA1 basal dendrites in APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model. Furthermore, HDAC2 knockdown also ameliorated the deficits in hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation and memory impairment in contextual fear conditioning tests. Taken together, our results support the notion that specific inhibition of HDAC2 has the potential to slow the disease progression of AD through ameliorating Aβ-induced neuronal impairments.
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8
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Müller L, Kirschstein T, Köhling R, Kuhla A, Teipel S. Neuronal Hyperexcitability in APPSWE/PS1dE9 Mouse Models of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 81:855-869. [PMID: 33843674 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic mouse models serve a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and its consequences on neuronal function. Well-known and broadly used AD models are APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, which are able to reproduce features of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque formations as well as neuronal dysfunction as reflected in electrophysiological recordings of neuronal hyperexcitability. The most prominent findings include abnormal synaptic function and synaptic reorganization as well as changes in membrane threshold and spontaneous neuronal firing activities leading to generalized excitation-inhibition imbalances in larger neuronal circuits and networks. Importantly, these findings in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice are at least partly consistent with results of electrophysiological studies in humans with sporadic AD. This underscores the potential to transfer mechanistic insights into amyloid related neuronal dysfunction from animal models to humans. This is of high relevance for targeted downstream interventions into neuronal hyperexcitability, for example based on repurposing of existing antiepileptic drugs, as well as the use of combinations of imaging and electrophysiological readouts to monitor effects of upstream interventions into amyloid build-up and processing on neuronal function in animal models and human studies. This article gives an overview on the pathogenic and methodological basis for recording of neuronal hyperexcitability in AD mouse models and on key findings in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. We point at several instances to the translational perspective into clinical intervention and observation studies in humans. We particularly focus on bi-directional relations between hyperexcitability and cerebral amyloidosis, including build-up as well as clearance of amyloid, possibly related to sleep and so called glymphatic system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Müller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Rudolf Zenker Institute for Experimental Surgery, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Timo Kirschstein
- Oscar Langendorff Institute of Physiology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Köhling
- Oscar Langendorff Institute of Physiology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Angela Kuhla
- Rudolf Zenker Institute for Experimental Surgery, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Stefan Teipel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock and Greifswald, Germany.,Centre for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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9
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Prikhodko O, Rynearson KD, Sekhon T, Mante MM, Nguyen PD, Rissman RA, Tanzi RE, Wagner SL. The GSM BPN-15606 as a Potential Candidate for Preventative Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 73:1541-1554. [PMID: 31958080 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the dysregulation of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) production and clearance leads to amyloid deposits, tau tangles, neuronal loss, and cognitive dysfunction. Thus far, therapies targeting the enzymes responsible for Aβ production have been found ineffective or having significant side effects. OBJECTIVE To test whether a γ-secretase modulator, BPN-15606, is an effective disease-modifying or preventative treatment in the PSAPP mouse model of AD. METHODS We treated pre-plaque (3-month-old) and post-plaque (6-month-old) PSAPP AD transgenic mice for 3 months and examined behavioral, biochemical, and pathological end points. RESULTS BPN-15606 attenuated cognitive impairment and reduced amyloid plaque load, microgliosis, and astrogliosis associated with the AD phenotype of PSAPP mice when administered to pre-plaque (3-month-old) but was ineffective when administered to post-plaque (6-month-old) mice. No treatment-related toxicity was observed. CONCLUSION BPN-15606 appears efficacious when administered prior to significant pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Prikhodko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.,Present Address: Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kevin D Rynearson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.,VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Travis Sekhon
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Mike M Mante
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.,VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Phuong D Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert A Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.,VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rudolph E Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Steven L Wagner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.,VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Shekari A, Fahnestock M. Cholinergic neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease mouse models. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 182:191-209. [PMID: 34266592 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819973-2.00013-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cholinergic signaling is critical for cognitive function. The basal forebrain is the major cholinergic output of the central nervous system. Degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mouse models are invaluable tools in disease research and have been used to study AD for over 25 years. However, animal models of AD vary greatly with respect to the degree of cholinergic degeneration observed. The following review will outline the most influential animal models of AD with an emphasis on the basal forebrain cholinergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Shekari
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Margaret Fahnestock
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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Gonzalo-Gobernado R, Perucho J, Vallejo-Muñoz M, Casarejos MJ, Reimers D, Jiménez-Escrig A, Gómez A, Ulzurrun de Asanza GM, Bazán E. Liver Growth Factor "LGF" as a Therapeutic Agent for Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239201. [PMID: 33276671 PMCID: PMC7730107 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in aging populations. Although the pathological hallmarks of AD are well defined, currently no effective therapy exists. Liver growth factor (LGF) is a hepatic albumin-bilirubin complex with activity as a tissue regenerating factor in several neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Friedreich's ataxia. Our aim here was to analyze the potential therapeutic effect of LGF on the APPswe mouse model of AD. Twenty-month-old mice received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 1.6 µg LGF or saline, twice a week during three weeks. Mice were sacrificed one week later, and the hippocampus and dorsal cortex were prepared for immunohistochemical and biochemical studies. LGF treatment reduced amyloid-β (Aβ) content, phospho-Tau/Tau ratio and the number of Aβ plaques with diameter larger than 25 µm. LGF administration also modulated protein ubiquitination and HSP70 protein levels, reduced glial reactivity and inflammation, and the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Because the administration of this factor also restored cognitive damage in APPswe mice, we propose LGF as a novel therapeutic tool that may be useful for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Gonzalo-Gobernado
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
- National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB), CSIC, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Perucho
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
| | - Manuela Vallejo-Muñoz
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
| | - Maria José Casarejos
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
| | - Diana Reimers
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
| | - Adriano Jiménez-Escrig
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Gómez
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
| | - Gonzalo M. Ulzurrun de Asanza
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
| | - Eulalia Bazán
- Servicio de Neurobiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (J.P.); (M.V.-M.); (M.J.C.); (D.R.); (A.J.E.); (A.G.); (G.M.U.d.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-913-368-168
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Kumar S, Lemere CA, Walter J. Phosphorylated Aβ peptides in human Down syndrome brain and different Alzheimer's-like mouse models. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:118. [PMID: 32727580 PMCID: PMC7388542 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00959-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The deposition of neurotoxic amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in extracellular plaques in the brain parenchyma is one of the most prominent neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and considered to be closely related to the pathogenesis of this disease. A number of recent studies demonstrate the heterogeneity in the composition of Aβ deposits in AD brains, due to the occurrence of elongated, truncated and post-translationally modified Aβ peptides that have peculiar characteristics in aggregation behavior and biostability. Importantly, the detection of modified Aβ species has been explored to characterize distinct stages of AD, with phosphorylated Aβ being present in the clinical phase of AD. People with Down syndrome (DS) develop AD pathology by 40 years of age likely due to the overproduction of Aβ caused by the additional copy of the gene encoding the amyloid precursor protein on chromosome 21. In the current study, we analysed the deposition of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated Aβ species in human DS, AD, and control brains. In addition, deposition of these Aβ species was analysed in brains of a series of established transgenic AD mouse models using phosphorylation-state specific Aβ antibodies. Significant amounts of Aβ phosphorylated at serine residue 8 (pSer8Aβ) and unmodified Aβ were detected in the brains of DS and AD cases. The brains of different transgenic mouse models with either only human mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP), or combinations of human mutant APP, Presenilin (PS), and tau transgenes showed distinct age-dependent and spatiotemporal deposition of pSer8Aβ in extracellular plaques and within the vasculature. Together, these results demonstrate the deposition of phosphorylated Aβ species in DS brains, further supporting the similarity of Aβ deposition in AD and DS. Thus, the detection of phosphorylated and other modified Aβ species could contribute to the understanding and dissection of the complexity in the age-related and spatiotemporal deposition of Aβ variants in AD and DS as well as in distinct mouse models.
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Microglial Activation in the Retina of a Triple-Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model (3xTg-AD). Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21030816. [PMID: 32012676 PMCID: PMC7038053 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21030816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in the world. The main biomarkers associated with AD are protein amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and protein tau neurofibrillary tangles, which are responsible for brain neuroinflammation mediated by microglial cells. Increasing evidence has shown that the retina can also be affected in AD, presenting some molecular and cellular changes in the brain, such as microglia activation. However, there are only a few studies assessing such changes in the retinal microglia in animal models of AD. These studies use retinal sections, which have some limitations. In this study, we performed, for the first time in a triple-transgenic AD mouse model (3xTg-AD), a quantitative morphometric analysis of microglia activation (using the anti-Iba-1 antibody) in retinal whole-mounts, allowing visualization of the entire microglial cell, as well as its localization along the extension of the retina in different layers. Compared to age-matched animals, the retina of 3xTg-AD mice presents a higher number of microglial cells and a thicker microglial cell body area. Moreover, the microglia migrate, reorient, and retract their processes, changing their localization from a parallel to a perpendicular position relative to the retinal surface. These findings demonstrate clear microglia remodeling in the retina of 3xTg-AD mice.
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Gong Z, Huang J, Xu B, Ou Z, Zhang L, Lin X, Ye X, Kong X, Long D, Sun X, He X, Xu L, Li Q, Xuan A. Urolithin A attenuates memory impairment and neuroinflammation in APP/PS1 mice. J Neuroinflammation 2019; 16:62. [PMID: 30871577 PMCID: PMC6417212 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-019-1450-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by an abnormal accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, neuroinflammation, and impaired neurogenesis. Urolithin A (UA), a gut-microbial metabolite of ellagic acid, has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory effects in the brain. However, it is unknown whether UA exerts its properties of anti-inflammation and neuronal protection in the APPswe/PS1ΔE9 (APP/PS1) mouse model of AD. Methods Morris water maze was used to detect the cognitive function. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to detect neuronal apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry analyzed the response of glia, Aβ deposition, and neurogenesis. The expression of inflammatory mediators were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The modulating effects of UA on cell signaling pathways were assayed by Western blotting. Results We demonstrated that UA ameliorated cognitive impairment, prevented neuronal apoptosis, and enhanced neurogenesis in APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, UA attenuated Aβ deposition and peri-plaque microgliosis and astrocytosis in the cortex and hippocampus. We also found that UA affected critical cell signaling pathways, specifically by enhancing cerebral AMPK activation, decreasing the activation of P65NF-κB and P38MAPK, and suppressing Bace1 and APP degradation. Conclusions Our results indicated that UA imparted cognitive protection by protecting neurons from death and triggering neurogenesis via anti-inflammatory signaling in APP/PS1 mice, suggesting that UA might be a promising therapeutic drug to treat AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Gong
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Jingyi Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Biao Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Zhenri Ou
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Xiaohong Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Xiujuan Ye
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Xuejian Kong
- Department of Neurology of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511518, China
| | - Dahong Long
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Xiangdong Sun
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Xiaosong He
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Liping Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Qingqing Li
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Aiguo Xuan
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, 510260, China.
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Spencer SJ, Basri B, Sominsky L, Soch A, Ayala MT, Reineck P, Gibson BC, Barrientos RM. High-fat diet worsens the impact of aging on microglial function and morphology in a region-specific manner. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 74:121-134. [PMID: 30448612 PMCID: PMC6331275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampal microglia are vulnerable to the effects of aging, displaying a primed phenotype and hyper-responsiveness to various stimuli. We have previously shown that short-term high-fat diet (HFD) significantly impairs hippocampal- and amygdala-based cognitive function in the aged without affecting it in the young. Here, we assessed if morphological and functional changes in microglia might be responsible for this. We analyzed hippocampus and amygdala from young and aging rats that had been given three days HFD, a treatment sufficient to cause both hippocampal- and amygdala-dependent cognitive and neuroinflammatory differences in the aged. Aging led to the expected priming of hippocampal microglia in that it increased microglial numbers and reduced branching in this region. Aging also increased microglial phagocytosis of microbeads in the hippocampus, but the only effect of HFD in this region was to increase the presence of enlarged synaptophysin boutons in the aged, indicative of neurodegeneration. In the amygdala, HFD exacerbated the effects of aging on microglial priming (morphology) and markedly suppressed phagocytosis without notably affecting synaptophysin. These data reveal that, like the hippocampus, the amygdala displays aging-related microglial priming. However, the microglia in this region are also uniquely vulnerable to the detrimental effects of short-term HFD in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Spencer
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Bashirah Basri
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Luba Sominsky
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alita Soch
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Monica T Ayala
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Philipp Reineck
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Brant C Gibson
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ruth M Barrientos
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA; Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Chronic Brain Injury Program, Discovery Themes Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Nyarko JNK, Quartey MO, Baker GB, Mousseau DD. Can Animal Models Inform on the Relationship between Depression and Alzheimer Disease? CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2019; 64:18-29. [PMID: 29685068 PMCID: PMC6364140 DOI: 10.1177/0706743718772514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The focus on the β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) as well as in animal models of AD has perhaps biased our understanding of what contributes to the heterogeneity in disease onset and progression. Part of this heterogeneity could reflect the various neuropsychiatric risk factors that present with common symptomatology and can predispose the brain to AD-like changes. One such risk factor is depression. Animal models, particularly mouse models carrying variants of AD-related gene(s), many of which lead to an accumulation of Aβ, suggest that a fundamental shift in depression-related monoaminergic systems (including serotonin and noradrenaline) is a strong indicator of the altered cellular function associated with the earlier(est) stages of AD-related pathology. These changes in monoaminergic neurochemistry could provide for relevant targets for intervention in clinical AD and/or could support a polypharmacy strategy, which might include the targeting of Aβ, in vulnerable populations. Future studies must also include female mice as well as male mice in animal model studies on the relationship between depression and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N K Nyarko
- 1 Cell Signalling Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Maa O Quartey
- 1 Cell Signalling Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Glen B Baker
- 2 Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Neurochemical Research Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Darrell D Mousseau
- 1 Cell Signalling Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Babic Perhoc A, Osmanovic Barilar J, Knezovic A, Farkas V, Bagaric R, Svarc A, Grünblatt E, Riederer P, Salkovic-Petrisic M. Cognitive, behavioral and metabolic effects of oral galactose treatment in the transgenic Tg2576 mice. Neuropharmacology 2018; 148:50-67. [PMID: 30571958 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder associated with insulin resistance and glucose hypometabolism in the brain. Oral administration of galactose, a nutrient that provides an alternative source of energy, prevents and ameliorates early cognitive impairment in a streptozotocin-induced model (STZ-icv) of the sporadic AD (sAD). Here we explored the influence of 2-month oral galactose treatment (200 mg/kg/day) in the familial AD (fAD) by using 5- (5M) and 10- (10M) month-old transgenic Tg2576 mice mimicking the presymptomatic and the mild stage of fAD, and compared it to that observed in 7-month old STZ-icv rats mimicking mild-to-moderate sAD. Cognitive and behavioral performance was tested by Morris Water Maze, Open Field and Elevated Plus Maze tests, and metabolic status by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and fluorodeoxyglucose Positron-Emission Tomography scan. The level of insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and soluble amyloid β1-42 (sAβ1-42) was measured by ELISA and the protein expression of insulin receptor (IR), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and pre-/post-synaptic markers by Western blot analysis. Although galactose normalized alterations in cerebral glucose metabolism in all Tg2576 mice (5M+2M; 10M+2M) and STZ-icv rats, it did not improve cognitive impairment in either model. Improvement of reduced grooming behavior and normalization in reduced plasma insulin levels were seen only in 5M+2M Tg2576 mice while in 10M+2M Tg2576 mice oral galactose induced metabolic exacerbation at the level of plasma insulin, GLP-1 homeostasis and glucose intolerance, and additionally increased hippocampal sAβ1-42 level, decreased IR expression and increased GSK-3β activity. The results indicate that therapeutic potential of oral galactose seems to depend on the stage and the type/model of AD and to differ in the absence and the presence of AD-like pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Babic Perhoc
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Salata 11, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jelena Osmanovic Barilar
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Salata 11, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Knezovic
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Salata 11, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vladimir Farkas
- Department of Experimental Physics, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka 54, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Robert Bagaric
- Department of Experimental Physics, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka 54, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Alfred Svarc
- Department of Experimental Physics, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka 54, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Edna Grünblatt
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Riederer
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Würzburg, Füchsleinstrasse 15, 97080, Würzburg, Germany; Department of Clinical Research and Psychiatry, University of Southern Denmark Odense, Odense, Denmark
| | - Melita Salkovic-Petrisic
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Salata 11, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia; Research Centre of Excellence of Fundamental, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Salata 12, HR-10 000, Zagreb, Croatia.
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Ameen-Ali KE, Wharton SB, Simpson JE, Heath PR, Sharp P, Berwick J. Review: Neuropathology and behavioural features of transgenic murine models of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2018; 43:553-570. [PMID: 28880417 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of the underlying biology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been steadily progressing; however, this is yet to translate into a successful treatment in humans. The use of transgenic mouse models has helped to develop our understanding of AD, not only in terms of disease pathology, but also with the associated cognitive impairments typical of AD. Plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are often among the last pathological changes in AD mouse models, after neuronal loss and gliosis. There is a general consensus that successful treatments need to be applied before the onset of these pathologies and associated cognitive symptoms. This review discusses the different types of AD mouse models in terms of the temporal progression of the disease, how well they replicate the pathological changes seen in human AD and their cognitive defects. We provide a critical assessment of the behavioural tests used with AD mice to assess cognitive changes and decline, and discuss how successfully they correlate with cognitive impairments in humans with AD. This information is an important tool for AD researchers when deciding on appropriate mouse models, and when selecting measures to assess behavioural and cognitive change.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Ameen-Ali
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - S B Wharton
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - J E Simpson
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - P R Heath
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - P Sharp
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - J Berwick
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Kwon DJ, Lee YS, Shin D, Won KH, Song KD. Genome analysis of Yucatan miniature pigs to assess their potential as biomedical model animals. ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2018; 32:290-296. [PMID: 29879811 PMCID: PMC6325393 DOI: 10.5713/ajas.18.0170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Objective Pigs share many physiological, anatomical and genomic similarities with humans, which make them suitable models for biomedical researches. Understanding the genetic status of Yucatan miniature pigs (YMPs) and their association with human diseases will help to assess their potential as biomedical model animals. This study was performed to identify non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in selective sweep regions of the genome of YMPs and present the genetic nsSNP distributions that are potentially associated with disease occurrence in humans. Methods nsSNPs in whole genome resequencing data from 12 YMPs were identified and annotated to predict their possible effects on protein function. Sorting intolerant from tolerant (SIFT) and polymorphism phenotyping v2 analyses were used, and gene ontology (GO) network and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed. Results The results showed that 8,462 genes, encompassing 72,067 nsSNPs were identified, and 118 nsSNPs in 46 genes were predicted as deleterious. GO network analysis classified 13 genes into 5 GO terms (p<0.05) that were associated with kidney development and metabolic processes. Seven genes encompassing nsSNPs were classified into the term associated with Alzheimer’s disease by referencing the genetic association database. The KEGG pathway analysis identified only one significantly enriched pathway (p<0.05), hsa04080: Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, among the transcripts. Conclusion The number of deleterious nsSNPs in YMPs was identified and then these variants-containing genes in YMPs data were adopted as the putative human diseases-related genes. The results revealed that many genes encompassing nsSNPs in YMPs were related to the various human genes which are potentially associated with kidney development and metabolic processes as well as human disease occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae-Jin Kwon
- International Agricultural Development and Cooperation Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Yeong-Sup Lee
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Donghyun Shin
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Kyeong-Hye Won
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Ki-Duk Song
- International Agricultural Development and Cooperation Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea.,Department of Animal Biotechnology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea.,The Animal Molecular Genetics and Breeding Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
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Bobkova NV, Novikov VV, Medvinskaya NI, Aleksandrova IY, Nesterova IV, Fesenko EE. Effect of weak combined static and extremely low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on spatial memory and brain amyloid-β in two animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Electromagn Biol Med 2018; 37:127-137. [PMID: 29771571 DOI: 10.1080/15368378.2018.1471700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Subchronic effect of a weak combined magnetic field (MF), produced by superimposing a constant component, 42 µT and an alternating MF of 0.08 µT, which was the sum of two frequencies of 4.38 and 4.88 Hz, was studied in olfactory bulbectomized (OBE) and transgenic Tg (APPswe, PSEN1) mice, which were used as animal models of sporadic and heritable Alzheimer's disease (AD) accordingly. Spatial memory was tested in a Morris water maze on the following day after completion of training trials with the hidden platform removed. The amyloid-β (Aβ) level was determined in extracts of the cortex and hippocampus of mice using a specific DOT analysis while the number and dimensions of amyloid plaques were detected after their staining with thioflavin S in transgenic animals. Exposure to the MFs (4 h/day for 10 days) induced the decrease of Aβ level in brain of OBE mice and reduced the number of Aβ plaques in the cortex and hippocampus of Tg animals. However, memory improvement was revealed in Tg mice only, but not in the OBE animals. Here, we suggest that in order to prevent the Aβ accumulation, MFs could be used at early stage of neuronal degeneration in case of AD and other diseases with amyloid protein deposition in other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia V Bobkova
- a Institute of Cell Biophysics , Russian Academy of Sciences , Pushchino , Moscow Region , Russia
| | - Vadim V Novikov
- a Institute of Cell Biophysics , Russian Academy of Sciences , Pushchino , Moscow Region , Russia
| | - Natalia I Medvinskaya
- a Institute of Cell Biophysics , Russian Academy of Sciences , Pushchino , Moscow Region , Russia
| | - Irina Y Aleksandrova
- a Institute of Cell Biophysics , Russian Academy of Sciences , Pushchino , Moscow Region , Russia
| | - Inna V Nesterova
- a Institute of Cell Biophysics , Russian Academy of Sciences , Pushchino , Moscow Region , Russia
| | - Eugenii E Fesenko
- a Institute of Cell Biophysics , Russian Academy of Sciences , Pushchino , Moscow Region , Russia
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Perleberg C, Kind A, Schnieke A. Genetically engineered pigs as models for human disease. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:11/1/dmm030783. [PMID: 29419487 PMCID: PMC5818075 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.030783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically modified animals are vital for gaining a proper understanding of disease mechanisms. Mice have long been the mainstay of basic research into a wide variety of diseases but are not always the most suitable means of translating basic knowledge into clinical application. The shortcomings of rodent preclinical studies are widely recognised, and regulatory agencies around the world now require preclinical trial data from nonrodent species. Pigs are well suited to biomedical research, sharing many similarities with humans, including body size, anatomical features, physiology and pathophysiology, and they already play an important role in translational studies. This role is set to increase as advanced genetic techniques simplify the generation of pigs with precisely tailored modifications designed to replicate lesions responsible for human disease. This article provides an overview of the most promising and clinically relevant genetically modified porcine models of human disease for translational biomedical research, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We briefly summarise the technologies involved and consider the future impact of recent technical advances. Summary: An overview of porcine models of human disease, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We summarise the technologies involved and potential future impact of recent technical advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Perleberg
- Chair of Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Alexander Kind
- Chair of Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Angelika Schnieke
- Chair of Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
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Imm J, Kerrigan TL, Jeffries A, Lunnon K. Using induced pluripotent stem cells to explore genetic and epigenetic variation associated with Alzheimer's disease. Epigenomics 2017; 9:1455-1468. [DOI: 10.2217/epi-2017-0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is thought that both genetic and epigenetic variation play a role in Alzheimer's disease initiation and progression. With the advent of somatic cell reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells it is now possible to generate patient-derived cells that are able to more accurately model and recapitulate disease. Furthermore, by combining this with recent advances in (epi)genome editing technologies, it is possible to begin to examine the functional consequence of previously nominated genetic variants and infer epigenetic causality from recently identified epigenetic variants. In this review, we explore the role of genetic and epigenetic variation in Alzheimer's disease and how the functional relevance of nominated loci can be investigated using induced pluripotent stem cells and (epi)genome editing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Imm
- Institute of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter University, Exeter, UK
| | - Talitha L Kerrigan
- Institute of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter University, Exeter, UK
| | - Aaron Jeffries
- Institute of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter University, Exeter, UK
| | - Katie Lunnon
- Institute of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter University, Exeter, UK
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Sex- and age-specific modulation of brain GABA levels in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 62:168-179. [PMID: 29154037 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Age and sex are risk factors of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among the neurotransmitter systems, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been implicated in AD pathogenesis but the relevance of sex-specific GABAergic dysfunction during AD progression remains unknown. In the present study, we utilized state-of-the-art high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance to systematically monitor the brain region-, age-, and sex-specific modulation of GABA levels in wild-type and Tg2576 mice with amyloid pathology. In addition, we followed the possible role of reactive astrocytes in sex-specific GABA modulation. In female Tg2576 mice, hippocampal GABA levels were significantly elevated, along with higher number of reactive astrocytes and amyloid deposition. The elevated GABA was found to be produced via the monoamine oxidase-B route from putrescine in reactive astrocytes, more substantially in female than male mice, thus suggesting a role of astrocytes in memory impairment and sex-related differences in AD. Our results paint a coherent model of memory impairment in AD and signify that dynamic changes in regional GABA may be at the root of marked sex disparities observed in AD.
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Van Kampen JM, Kay DG. Progranulin gene delivery reduces plaque burden and synaptic atrophy in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182896. [PMID: 28837568 PMCID: PMC5570501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a multifunctional protein that is widely expressed throughout the brain, where it has been shown to act as a critical regulator of CNS inflammation and also functions as an autocrine neuronal growth factor, important for long-term neuronal survival. PGRN has been shown to activate cell signaling pathways regulating excitoxicity, oxidative stress, and synaptogenesis, as well as amyloidogenesis. Together, these critical roles in the CNS suggest that PGRN has the potential to be an important therapeutic target for the treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is the leading cause of dementia and is marked by the appearance of extracellular plaques consisting of aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ), as well as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, neuronal loss and synaptic atrophy. The ability of PGRN to target multiple key features of AD pathophysiology suggests that enhancing its expression may benefit this disease. Here, we describe the application of PGRN gene transfer using in vivo delivery of lentiviral expression vectors in a transgenic mouse model of AD. Viral vector delivery of the PGRN gene effectively enhanced PGRN expression in the hippocampus of Tg2576 mice. This elevated PGRN expression significantly reduced amyloid plaque burden in these mice, accompanied by reductions in markers of inflammation and synaptic atrophy. The overexpression of PGRN was also found to increase activity of neprilysin, a key amyloid beta degrading enzyme. PGRN regulation of neprilysin activity could play a major role in the observed alterations in plaque burden. Thus, PGRN may be an effective therapeutic target for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackalina M. Van Kampen
- Neurodyn Inc., Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Dept. Biomedical Science, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Dept. Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Denis G. Kay
- Neurodyn Inc., Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Dept. Pathology and Microbiology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
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25
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Ramirez AI, de Hoz R, Salobrar-Garcia E, Salazar JJ, Rojas B, Ajoy D, López-Cuenca I, Rojas P, Triviño A, Ramírez JM. The Role of Microglia in Retinal Neurodegeneration: Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson, and Glaucoma. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:214. [PMID: 28729832 PMCID: PMC5498525 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 293] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia, the immunocompetent cells of the central nervous system (CNS), act as neuropathology sensors and are neuroprotective under physiological conditions. Microglia react to injury and degeneration with immune-phenotypic and morphological changes, proliferation, migration, and inflammatory cytokine production. An uncontrolled microglial response secondary to sustained CNS damage can put neuronal survival at risk due to excessive inflammation. A neuroinflammatory response is considered among the etiological factors of the major aged-related neurodegenerative diseases of the CNS, and microglial cells are key players in these neurodegenerative lesions. The retina is an extension of the brain and therefore the inflammatory response in the brain can occur in the retina. The brain and retina are affected in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and glaucoma. AD is an age-related neurodegeneration of the CNS characterized by neuronal and synaptic loss in the cerebral cortex, resulting in cognitive deficit and dementia. The extracellular deposits of beta-amyloid (Aβ) and intraneuronal accumulations of hyperphosphorylated tau protein (pTau) are the hallmarks of this disease. These deposits are also found in the retina and optic nerve. PD is a neurodegenerative locomotor disorder with the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. This is accompanied by Lewy body inclusion composed of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates. PD also involves retinal dopaminergic cell degeneration. Glaucoma is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease of the optic nerve, characterized by retinal ganglion cell loss. In this pathology, deposition of Aβ, synuclein, and pTau has also been detected in retina. These neurodegenerative diseases share a common pathogenic mechanism, the neuroinflammation, in which microglia play an important role. Microglial activation has been reported in AD, PD, and glaucoma in relation to protein aggregates and degenerated neurons. The activated microglia can release pro-inflammatory cytokines which can aggravate and propagate neuroinflammation, thereby degenerating neurons and impairing brain as well as retinal function. The aim of the present review is to describe the contribution in retina to microglial-mediated neuroinflammation in AD, PD, and glaucomatous neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana I. Ramirez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa de Hoz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Salobrar-Garcia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan J. Salazar
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Madrid, Spain
| | - Blanca Rojas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Ajoy
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
| | - Inés López-Cuenca
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Rojas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Gregorio MarañónMadrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Triviño
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Madrid, Spain
| | - José M. Ramírez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo. Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Madrid, Spain
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Drummond E, Wisniewski T. Alzheimer's disease: experimental models and reality. Acta Neuropathol 2017; 133:155-175. [PMID: 28025715 PMCID: PMC5253109 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-016-1662-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 417] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Experimental models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are critical to gaining a better understanding of pathogenesis and to assess the potential of novel therapeutic approaches. The most commonly used experimental animal models are transgenic mice that overexpress human genes associated with familial AD (FAD) that result in the formation of amyloid plaques. However, AD is defined by the presence and interplay of both amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangle pathology. The track record of success in AD clinical trials thus far has been very poor. In part, this high failure rate has been related to the premature translation of highly successful results in animal models that mirror only limited aspects of AD pathology to humans. A greater understanding of the strengths and weakness of each of the various models and the use of more than one model to evaluate potential therapies would help enhance the success of therapy translation from preclinical studies to patients. In this review, we summarize the pathological features and limitations of the major experimental models of AD, including transgenic mice, transgenic rats, various physiological models of sporadic AD and in vitro human cell culture models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Drummond
- Center for Cognitive Neurology and Department of Neurology, NYU School of Medicine, Alexandria ERSP, 450 East 29th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology and Departments of Neurology, Pathology and Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, Alexandria ERSP, 450 East 29th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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27
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Hall VJ, Lindblad MM, Jakobsen JE, Gunnarsson A, Schmidt M, Rasmussen MA, Volke D, Zuchner T, Hyttel P. Impaired APP activity and altered Tau splicing in embryonic stem cell-derived astrocytes obtained from an APPsw transgenic minipig. Dis Model Mech 2015; 8:1265-78. [PMID: 26398935 PMCID: PMC4610230 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.019489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models of familial juvenile onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) often fail to produce diverse pathological features of the disease by modification of single gene mutations that are responsible for the disease. They can hence be poor models for testing and development of novel drugs. Here, we analyze in vitro-produced stem cells and their derivatives from a large mammalian model of the disease created by overexpression of a single mutant human gene (APPsw). We produced hemizygous and homozygous radial glial-like cells following culture and differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) isolated from embryos obtained from mated hemizygous minipigs. These cells were confirmed to co-express varying neural markers, including NES, GFAP and BLBP, typical of type one radial glial cells (RGs) from the subgranular zone. These cells had altered expression of CCND1 and NOTCH1 and decreased expression of several ribosomal RNA genes. We found that these cells were able to differentiate into astrocytes upon directed differentiation. The astrocytes produced had decreased α- and β-secretase activity, increased γ-secretase activity and altered splicing of tau. This indicates novel aspects of early onset mechanisms related to cell renewal and function in familial AD astrocytes. These outcomes also highlight that radial glia could be a potentially useful population of cells for drug discovery, and that altered APP expression and altered tau phosphorylation can be detected in an in vitro model of the disease. Finally, it might be possible to use large mammal models to model familial AD by insertion of only a single mutation. Summary: Insight into astrocyte and radial glia pathology in an in vitro culture system derived from the APPsw pig.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa J Hall
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Maiken M Lindblad
- Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jannik E Jakobsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Faculty of Health, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders Gunnarsson
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Faculty of Health, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mette Schmidt
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | - Daniela Volke
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thole Zuchner
- Octapharma Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Poul Hyttel
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
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28
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Genetically modified pigs to model human diseases. J Appl Genet 2015; 55:53-64. [PMID: 24234401 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-013-0182-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Genetically modified mice are powerful tools to investigate the molecular basis of many human diseases. Mice are, however, of limited value for preclinical studies, because they differ significantly from humans in size, general physiology, anatomy and lifespan. Considerable efforts are, thus, being made to develop alternative animal models for a range of human diseases. These promise powerful new resources that will aid the development of new diagnostics, medicines and medical procedures. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of genetically modified porcine models described in the scientific literature: various cancers, cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, autosomal polycystic kidney disease, Huntington’s disease, spinal muscular atrophy, haemophilia A, X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency, retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, Alzheimer’s disease, various forms of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.
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29
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Martire S, Mosca L, d'Erme M. PARP-1 involvement in neurodegeneration: A focus on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Mech Ageing Dev 2015; 146-148:53-64. [PMID: 25881554 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2015.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Revised: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
DNA damage is the prime activator of the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase1 (PARP-1) whose overactivation has been proven to be associated with the pathogenesis of numerous central nervous system disorders, such as ischemia, neuroinflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases. Under oxidative stress conditions PARP-1 activity increases, leading to an accumulation of ADP-ribose polymers and NAD(+) depletion, that induces energy crisis and finally cell death. This review aims to explain the contribution of PARP-1 in neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, to stimulate further studies on this issue and thereby engage a new perspective regarding the design of possible therapeutic agents or the identification of biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Martire
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Italy
| | - Luciana Mosca
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Italy
| | - Maria d'Erme
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Italy.
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30
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Takata K. [Molecular targeting and translational research for new therapeutic strategies on Alzheimer's disease]. YAKUGAKU ZASSHI 2013; 133:1389-99. [PMID: 24292188 DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.13-00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. AD treatments currently approved are commonly regarded as purely symptomatic. Therefore, development of effective disease modifying treatments is eagerly required. Pathological hallmarks of AD brain include amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation, neurofibrillary tangle (NFT), synaptic loss, and neurodegeneration. Understanding of AD pathogenesis provides deep insight into the therapeutic approach for AD. In this review, we introduce our current translational researches for new therapeutic strategies against AD. We recently revealed that a key molecule for actin assembly, Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome protein family verprolin-homologous protein (WAVE), is accumulated into NFT in an Aβ pathology-dependent manner. Because synaptic function is maintained by precise regulation of actin assembly, abnormal accumulation of WAVE induced by Aβ pathology may expand the NFT pathology to synaptic dysfunction. These results imply that lowering of brain Aβ at the early stage of AD pathogenesis is a promising therapeutic approach. As the approach for the elimination of brain Aβ, we have studied microglial Aβ phagocytosis and proposed its therapeutic application for AD treatment. We demonstrated that anti-Aβ antibody and galantamine promote microglial Aβ phagocytosis by binding to Fc receptors and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on microglia, respectively. On the other hand, we demonstrated that the transplantation with microglia effectively eliminate brain Aβ and microglia-like Aβ phagocytic cells were successfully prepared from bone marrow derived cells by the stimulation with macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Thus, we have studied cell therapeutic strategy aim at its clinical application for AD treatment by the activation of endogenous microglia and transplantation of exogenous microglia-like Aβ phagocytic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuyuki Takata
- Department of Clinical and Translational Physiology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University
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31
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Sillerud LO, Solberg NO, Chamberlain R, Orlando RA, Heidrich JE, Brown DC, Brady CI, Vander Jagt TA, Garwood M, Vander Jagt DL. SPION-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of Alzheimer's disease plaques in AβPP/PS-1 transgenic mouse brain. J Alzheimers Dis 2013; 34:349-65. [PMID: 23229079 DOI: 10.3233/jad-121171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In our program to develop non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we have synthesized antibody-conjugated, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) for use as an in vivo agent for MRI detection of amyloid-β plaques in AD. Here we report studies in AβPP/PS1 transgenic mice, which demonstrate the ability of novel anti-AβPP conjugated SPIONs to penetrate the blood-brain barrier to act as a contrast agent for MR imaging of plaques. The conspicuity of the plaques increased from an average Z-score of 5.1 ± 0.5 to 8.3 ± 0.2 when the plaque contrast to noise ratio was compared in control AD mice with AD mice treated with SPIONs. The number of MRI-visible plaques per brain increased from 347 ± 45 in the control AD mice, to 668 ± 86 in the SPION treated mice. These results indicated that our SPION enhanced amyloid-β detection method delivers an efficacious, non-invasive MRI detection method in transgenic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel O Sillerud
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
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Firing properties of entorhinal cortex neurons and early alterations in an Alzheimer's disease transgenic model. Pflugers Arch 2013; 466:1437-50. [PMID: 24132829 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-013-1368-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2013] [Revised: 08/20/2013] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The entorhinal cortex (EC) is divided into medial (MEC) and lateral (LEC) anatomical areas, and layer II neurons of these two regions project to granule cells of the dentate gyrus through the medial and lateral perforant pathways (MPP and LPP), respectively. Stellate cells (SCs) represent the main neurons constituting the MPP inputs, while fan cells (FCs) represent the main LPP inputs. Here, we first characterized the excitability properties of SCs and FCs in adult wild-type (WT) mouse brain. Our data indicate that, during sustained depolarization, action potentials (APs) generated by SCs exhibit increased fast afterhyperpolarization and overshoot, making them able to fire at higher frequencies and to exhibit higher spike frequency adaptation (SFA) than FCs. Since the EC is one of the earliest brain regions affected during Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression, we compared SCs and FCs firing in 4-month-old WT and transgenic Tg2576 mice, a well-established AD mouse model. Tg2576-SCs displayed a slight increase in firing frequency during mild depolarization but otherwise normal excitability properties during higher stimulations. On the contrary, Tg2576-FCs exhibited a decreased firing frequency during mild and higher depolarizations, as well as an increased SFA. Our data identify the FCs as a neuronal population particularly sensitive to early pathological effects of chronic accumulation of APP-derived peptides, as it occurs in Tg2576 mice. As FCs represent the major input of sensory information to the hippocampus during memory acquisition, early alterations in their excitability profile could significantly contribute to the onset of cognitive decline in AD.
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Trans-dominant negative effects of pathogenic PSEN1 mutations on γ-secretase activity and Aβ production. J Neurosci 2013; 33:11606-17. [PMID: 23843529 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0954-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the PSEN1 gene encoding Presenilin-1 (PS1) are the predominant cause of familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD), but the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. To reconcile the dominant action of pathogenic PSEN1 mutations with evidence that they confer a loss of mutant protein function, we tested the hypothesis that PSEN1 mutations interfere with γ-secretase activity in a dominant-negative manner. Here, we show that pathogenic PSEN1 mutations act in cis to impair mutant PS1 function and act in trans to inhibit wild-type PS1 function. Coexpression of mutant and wild-type PS1 at equal gene dosage in presenilin-deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts resulted in trans-dominant-negative inhibition of wild-type PS1 activity, suppressing γ-secretase-dependent cleavage of APP and Notch. Surprisingly, mutant PS1 could stimulate production of Aβ42 by wild-type PS1 while decreasing its production of Aβ40. Mutant and wild-type PS1 efficiently coimmunoprecipitated, suggesting that mutant PS1 interferes with wild-type PS1 activity via physical interaction. These results support the conclusion that mutant PS1 causes wild-type PS1 to adopt an altered conformation with impaired catalytic activity and substrate specificity. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism of action for pathogenic PSEN1 mutations and suggest that dominant-negative inhibition of presenilin activity plays an important role in FAD pathogenesis.
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Localization of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor immunoreactivity on GABAergic interneurons in layers I-III of the rat retrosplenial granular cortex. Neuroscience 2013; 252:443-59. [PMID: 23985568 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Revised: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The rat retrosplenial granular cortex (RSG) receives cholinergic input from the medial septum-diagonal band (MS-DB) of the cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF), with projections terminating in layers I-III of RSG. The modulatory effects of acetylcholine (ACh) on cortical GABAergic interneurons in these layers are mediated by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs). α7nAChRs are most abundant in the cerebral cortex and are largely localized to GABAergic interneurons. However, the CBF projection to the RSG has not been studied in detail, and the cellular or subcellular distribution of α7nAChRs in the rat RSG remains unclear. The main objective of this study was to test that α7nAChRs reside on GABAergic interneurons in CBF terminal fields of the rat RSG. First, we set out to define the characteristics of CBF projections from the MS-DB to layers of the RSG using anterograde neural tracing and immunohistochemical labeling with cholinergic markers. These results revealed that the pattern of axon terminal labeling in layer Ia, as well as layer II/III of the RSG is remarkably similar to the pattern of cholinergic axons in the RSG. Next, we investigated the relationship between α7nAChRs, labeled using either α-bungarotoxin or α7nAChR antibody, and the local neurochemical environment by labeling surrounding cells with antibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), parvalbumin (PV) and reelin (a marker of the ionotropic serotonin receptor-expressing GABAergic interneurons). α7nAChRs were found to be localized on both somatodendritic and neuronal elements within subpopulations of GABAergic PV-, reelin-stained and non PV-stained neurons in layers I-III of the RSG. Finally, electron microscopy revealed that α7nAChRs are GAD- and PV-positive cytoplasmic and neuronal elements. These results strongly suggest that ACh released from CBF afferents is transmitted via α7nAChR to GAD-, PV-, and reelin-positive GABAergic interneurons in layers I-III of the RSG.
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35
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Lee JE, Han PL. An update of animal models of Alzheimer disease with a reevaluation of plaque depositions. Exp Neurobiol 2013; 22:84-95. [PMID: 23833557 PMCID: PMC3699678 DOI: 10.5607/en.2013.22.2.84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models of Alzheimer disease (AD) are used to study the mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis, genetic interactions with genes of interest, and environmental risk factors that cause sporadic AD as well as to test the therapeutic effects of AD drug-candidates on neuropathology and cognitive function. To attain a comparative view on the AD models developed, representative AD lines were selected and summarized with respect to transgenic constructs and AD-related pathology. In addition, age-dependent plaque deposition data available in the literature for six representative AD models such as Tg2576, PDAPP, TgAPP23, Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9, 3xTg-AD, and 5XFAD mice were reevaluated using a photographic plaque reference scale method that was introduced recently. Tg2576, PDAPP, and TgAPP23 mice, which carry the amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgene, produced initially slow, but progressively accelerated plaque deposition as they aged, resulting in logistic plaque deposition. In contrast, Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9 and 3xTg-AD mice, which carry both APP and PS1 transgenes, developed abruptly accelerated plaque formation from the beginning, resulting in logarithmic plaque deposition. 5XFAD mice, which also carry both the APP and PS1 transgenes, developed a logarithmic deposition beginning at 2 months. This comparative analysis suggests that AD models may be classified into two distinct plaque deposition groups, and that early plaque models such as APPswe/PS1dE9, 3xTg-AD and 5XFAD might be useful to study the biochemical aspects of APP metabolism, whereas late plaque models such as Tg2576, PDAPP, and TgAPP23 might be useful to study more physiological and environmental aspects of AD pathogenesis, which occur on a longer time scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Eun Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, Korea
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36
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Brasnjevic I, Lardenoije R, Schmitz C, Van Der Kolk N, Dickstein DL, Takahashi H, Hof PR, Steinbusch HW, Rutten BP. REGION-SPECIFIC NEURON AND SYNAPSE LOSS IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS OF APP SL/PS1 KNOCK-IN MICE. Transl Neurosci 2013; 4:8-19. [PMID: 24829793 PMCID: PMC4018205 DOI: 10.2478/s13380-013-0111-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic mouse models with knock-in (KI) expression of human mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP) and/or human presenilin 1 (PS1) may be helpful to elucidate the cellular consequences of APP and PS1 misprocessing in the aging brain. Age-related alterations in total numbers of neurons and in numbers of synaptophysin-immunoreactive presynaptic boutons (SIPB), as well as the amyloid plaque load were analyzed in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), CA3, and CA1-2 of 2- and 10-month-old APPSL/PS1 homozygous KI, APPSL (expressing human mutant APP751 carrying the Swedish [K670N/M671L] and London [V717I] mutations under Thy-1 promoter), and PS1 homozygous KI mice (expressing human PS1 mutations [M233T and L235P]). APPSL/PS1 homozygous KI mice, but neither APPSL mice nor PS1 homozygous KI mice, showed substantial age-related loss of neurons (-47.2%) and SIPB (-22.6%), specifically in CA1-2. PS1 homozygous KI mice showed an age-related increase in hippocampal granule cell numbers (+37.9%). Loss of neurons and SIPB greatly exceeded the amount of local extracellular Aβ aggregation and astrocytes, whereas region-specific accumulation of intraneuronal Aβ preceded neuron and synapse loss. An age-related increase in the ratio of SIPB to neuron numbers in CA1-2 of APPSL/PS1 homozygous KI mice was suggestive of compensatory synaptic plasticity. These findings indicate a region-selectivity in intra- and extraneuronal Aβ accumulation in connection with neuron and synapse loss in the hippocampus of APPSL/PS1 homozygous KI mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivona Brasnjevic
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Roy Lardenoije
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Christoph Schmitz
- Department of Anatomy II, Institute of Anatomy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Nicolien Van Der Kolk
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Dara L. Dickstein
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Hisaaki Takahashi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, 791-0295 Ehime, Japan
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Harry W.M. Steinbusch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Bart P.F. Rutten
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
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37
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Fan N, Lai L. Genetically modified pig models for human diseases. J Genet Genomics 2013; 40:67-73. [PMID: 23439405 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2012.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Revised: 12/10/2012] [Accepted: 12/30/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Genetically modified animal models are important for understanding the pathogenesis of human disease and developing therapeutic strategies. Although genetically modified mice have been widely used to model human diseases, some of these mouse models do not replicate important disease symptoms or pathology. Pigs are more similar to humans than mice in anatomy, physiology, and genome. Thus, pigs are considered to be better animal models to mimic some human diseases. This review describes genetically modified pigs that have been used to model various diseases including neurological, cardiovascular, and diabetic disorders. We also discuss the development in gene modification technology that can facilitate the generation of transgenic pig models for human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Fan
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
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Malyshev I. The Role of HSP70 in the Protection of: (A) The Brain in Alzheimer’s Disease and (B) The Heart in Cardiac Surgery. IMMUNITY, TUMORS AND AGING: THE ROLE OF HSP70 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5943-5_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Nagakura A, Shitaka Y, Yarimizu J, Matsuoka N. Characterization of cognitive deficits in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease and effects of donepezil and memantine. Eur J Pharmacol 2012; 703:53-61. [PMID: 23276665 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2012.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2012] [Revised: 12/07/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function and involves β-amyloid (Aβ) in its pathogenesis. To characterize cognitive deficits associated with Aβ accumulation, we analyzed PS1/APP mice overexpressing mutant presenilin-1 (PS1, M146L; line 6.2) and amyloid precursor protein (APP, K670N/M671L; line Tg2576), a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease with accelerated Aβ production. Age-dependent changes in working and spatial memory behaviors were investigated using Y-maze and Morris water maze tasks, respectively, in female PS1/APP mice at ages of 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. Significant deficits in working and spatial memory were observed from 4 and 6 months of age, respectively. Acute single-dose administrations of memantine, a low-to-moderate-affinity N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, showed improvements in working memory deficits at 4 months of age, whereas donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, did not. However, both drugs improved spatial memory dysfunction at 6 months of age at therapeutically relevant doses. No age-related dramatic changes were observed in expression levels of several proteins relating to memory dysfunction and also the mechanisms of donepezil and memantine in the cerebral cortex of PS1/APP mice until 6 months of age. Taken together, these results suggest dysfunctions in cholinergic and/or glutamatergic transmissions may be involved in the cognitive deficits associated with Aβ toxicity. Since donepezil and memantine have been widely used for treating patients of Alzheimer's disease, these results also suggest that cognitive deficits in PS1/APP mice assessed in the Y-maze and Morris water maze tasks are a useful animal model for evaluating novel Alzheimer's disease therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Nagakura
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan.
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40
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Gil-Bea FJ, Gerenu G, Aisa B, Kirazov LP, Schliebs R, Ramírez MJ. Cholinergic denervation exacerbates amyloid pathology and induces hippocampal atrophy in Tg2576 mice. Neurobiol Dis 2012; 48:439-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2012.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2012] [Accepted: 06/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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Lénárt N, Szegedi V, Juhász G, Kasztner A, Horváth J, Bereczki E, Tóth ME, Penke B, Sántha M. Increased tau phosphorylation and impaired presynaptic function in hypertriglyceridemic ApoB-100 transgenic mice. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46007. [PMID: 23029362 PMCID: PMC3454377 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2012] [Accepted: 08/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS ApoB-100 is the major protein component of cholesterol- and triglyceride-rich LDL and VLDL lipoproteins in the serum. Previously, we generated and partially described transgenic mice overexpressing the human ApoB-100 protein. Here, we further characterize this transgenic strain in order to reveal a possible link between hypeprlipidemia and neurodegeneration. METHODS AND RESULTS We analyzed the serum and cerebral lipid profiles, tau phosphorylation patterns, amyloid plaque-formation, neuronal apoptosis and synaptic plasticity of young (3 month old), adult (6 month old) and aging (10-11 month old) transgenic mice. We show that ApoB-100 transgenic animals present i) elevated serum and cerebral levels of triglycerides and ApoB-100, ii) increased cerebral tau phosphorylation at phosphosites Ser(199), Ser(199/202), Ser(396) and Ser(404). Furthermore, we demonstrate, that tau hyperphosphorylation is accompanied by impaired presynaptic function, long-term potentiation and widespread hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS The results presented here indicate that elevated ApoB-100 level and the consequent chronic hypertriglyceridemia may lead to impaired neuronal function and neurodegeneration, possibly via hyperphosphorylation of tau protein. On account of their specific phenotype, ApoB-100 transgenic mice may be considered a versatile model of hyperlipidemia-induced age-related neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolett Lénárt
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Viktor Szegedi
- Bay Zoltan Foundation for Applied Research, Institute for Plant Genomics, Human Biotechnology and Bioenergy, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Juhász
- Bay Zoltan Foundation for Applied Research, Institute for Plant Genomics, Human Biotechnology and Bioenergy, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Aniko Kasztner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - János Horváth
- Institute of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Erika Bereczki
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Melinda E. Tóth
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Botond Penke
- Bay Zoltan Foundation for Applied Research, Institute for Plant Genomics, Human Biotechnology and Bioenergy, Szeged, Hungary
- Institute of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Miklós Sántha
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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Hall AM, Roberson ED. Mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res Bull 2012; 88:3-12. [PMID: 22142973 PMCID: PMC3546481 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2011] [Revised: 11/11/2011] [Accepted: 11/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, affecting 35 million people today. The search for new treatments is made ever more urgent by prospects for increasing prevalence due to population aging. Mouse models are one of the most important research tools for finding new treatments for AD. Here, we review those models. We begin by briefly reviewing the AD genetics on which mouse models are based and then consider the most common mouse models of AD, including mice transgenic for human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) and beta-amyloid (Aβ), mice expressing mutant presenilin genes, mice modeling tau's role in AD, and apolipoprotein E models. The discussion highlights key features and important differences between these mouse models. We conclude with a discussion about the role of AD mouse models in the translational pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia M Hall
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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43
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Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Neurogenetics 2012. [DOI: 10.1017/cbo9781139087711.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Early onset amyloid lesions lead to severe neuritic abnormalities and local, but not global neuron loss in APPPS1 transgenic mice. Neurobiol Aging 2011; 32:2324.e1-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2010.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2010] [Revised: 08/17/2010] [Accepted: 08/27/2010] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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45
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Research update: Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease. Biochem Pharmacol 2011; 82:931-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2011.06.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 06/18/2011] [Accepted: 06/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Alexandrov PN, Pogue A, Bhattacharjee S, Lukiw WJ. Retinal amyloid peptides and complement factor H in transgenic models of Alzheimer's disease. Neuroreport 2011; 22:623-7. [PMID: 21734608 PMCID: PMC3719862 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0b013e3283497334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Murine transgenic models of Alzheimer's disease (Tg-AD) have been useful to analyze the contribution of β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP), Aβ42 peptide deposition, and the proinflammatory mechanisms that characterize Alzheimer-type neuropathology. In this report, we have studied the levels of βAPP, Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptide, as well as the innate immune and inflammatory response-regulator complement factor H in the brain and retina in four different Tg-AD models including Tg2576, PSAPP, 3xTg-AD, and 5xFAD. Aged, symptomatic 5xFAD mice showed the highest retinal abundance of Aβ42 peptides and the highest deficits in complement factor H. This may be a useful model to study the mechanisms of amyloid-mediated inflammatory degeneration. The superior colliculus and retina obtained from late-stage Alzheimer's disease revealed upregulated amyloidogenic and inflammatory signaling along the anteroposterior axis of the retinal-primary visual cortex pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aileen Pogue
- LSU Neuroscience Center and Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Surjyadipta Bhattacharjee
- LSU Neuroscience Center and Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Walter J. Lukiw
- LSU Neuroscience Center and Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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Borysov SI, Granic A, Padmanabhan J, Walczak CE, Potter H. Alzheimer Aβ disrupts the mitotic spindle and directly inhibits mitotic microtubule motors. Cell Cycle 2011; 10:1397-410. [PMID: 21566458 DOI: 10.4161/cc.10.9.15478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome mis-segregation and aneuploidy are greatly induced in Alzheimer's disease and models thereof by mutant forms of the APP and PS proteins and by their product, the Ab peptide. Here we employ human somatic cells and Xenopus egg extracts to show that Aβ impairs the assembly and maintenance of the mitotic spindle. Mechanistically, these defects result from Aβ's inhibition of mitotic motor kinesins, including Eg5, KIF4A and MCAK. In vitro studies show that oligomeric Aβ directly inhibits recombinant MCAK by a noncompetitive mechanism. In contrast, inhibition of Eg5 and KIF4A is competitive with respect to both ATP and microtubules, indicating that Aβ interferes with their interactions with the microtubules of the mitotic spindle. Consistently, increased levels of polymerized microtubules or of the microtubule stabilizing protein Tau significantly decrease the inhibitory effect of Aβ on Eg5 and KIF4A. Together, these results indicate that by disrupting the interaction between specific kinesins and microtubules and by exerting a direct inhibitory effect on the motor activity, excess Ab deregulates the mechanical forces that govern the spindle and thereby leads to the generation of defective mitotic structures. The resulting defect in neurogenesis can account for the over 30% aneuploid/hyperploid, degeneration-prone neurons observed in Alzheimer disease brain. The finding of mitotic motors including Eg5 in mature post-mitotic neurons implies that their inhibition by Ab may also disrupt neuronal function and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergiy I Borysov
- Eric Pfeiffer Suncoast Alzheimer's Center, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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Klinge PM, Harmening K, Miller MC, Heile A, Wallrapp C, Geigle P, Brinker T. Encapsulated native and glucagon-like peptide-1 transfected human mesenchymal stem cells in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Lett 2011; 497:6-10. [PMID: 21507341 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.03.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2011] [Revised: 03/26/2011] [Accepted: 03/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells(MSC) are studied in a double transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) after intraventricular implantation at 3 months of age. Abeta 40/42 deposition, and glial (GFAP) and microglial (CD11b) immunoreactivity were investigated 2 months after transplantation of either native MSC or MSC transfected with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). CD11b immunostaining in the frontal lobes was significantly decreased in the GLP-1 MSC group compared to the untreated controls. Also, the plaque associated GFAP immunoreactivity was only observed in one of four animals in the GLP-1 MSC group. Abeta 40 whole brain ELISA was decreased in the MSC group: 86.06±5.2 pg/ml (untreated control) vs. 78.67±11.2 pg/ml (GLP-1 MSC group) vs.70.9±11.1 pg/ml (MSC group, p<0.05). Intraventricular transplantation of native and GLP-1 transfected MSC has been shown effective. Decreased amyloid deposition or suppression of glial and microglial responses were observed. However, encapsulation of MSC may alter their biological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra M Klinge
- Neurosurgery Foundation, Rhode Island Hospital/Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that neural stem cells generate new neurons through the process of neurogenesis in the adult brain. In mammals, adult neurogenesis occurs in two areas of the CNS: the subventricular zone and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. The newly generated cells display neuronal morphology, generate action potentials and receive functional synaptic inputs, their properties being equivalent to those of mature neurons. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the widespread cause of dementia, and is an age-related, progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disease that results in massive neuronal death and deterioration of cognitive functions. Here, we overview the relations between adult neurogenesis and AD, and try to analyse the controversies in the field. We also summarise recent data obtained in the triple transgenic model of AD that show time- and region-specific impairment of neurogenesis, which may account for the early changes in synaptic plasticity and cognitive impairments that develop prior to gross neurodegenerative alterations and that could underlie new rescue therapies.
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50
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Yang J, Wadghiri YZ, Hoang DM, Tsui W, Sun Y, Chung E, Li Y, Wang A, de Leon M, Wisniewski T. Detection of amyloid plaques targeted by USPIO-Aβ1-42 in Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice using magnetic resonance microimaging. Neuroimage 2011; 55:1600-9. [PMID: 21255656 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2010] [Revised: 01/02/2011] [Accepted: 01/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid plaques are one of the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The visualization of amyloid plaques in the brain is important to monitor AD progression and to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Our group has developed several contrast agents to detect amyloid plaques in vivo using magnetic resonance microimaging (μMRI) in AD transgenic mice, where we used intra-carotid mannitol to enhance blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. In the present study, we used ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles, chemically coupled with Aβ1-42 peptide to detect amyloid deposition along with mannitol for in vivo μMRI by femoral intravenous injection. A 3D gradient multi-echo sequence was used for imaging with a 100μm isotropic resolution. The amyloid plaques detected by T2*-weighted μMRI were confirmed with matched histological sections. Furthermore, two different quantitative analyses were used. The region of interest-based quantitative measurement of T2* values showed contrast-injected APP/PS1 mice had significantly reduced T2* values compared to wild-type mice. In addition, the scans were examined with voxel-based morphometry (VBM) using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for comparison of contrast-injected AD transgenic and wild-type mice. The regional differences seen in VBM comparing USPIO-Aβ1-42 injected APP/PS1 and wild-type mice correlated with the amyloid plaque distribution histologically, contrasting with no differences between the two groups of mice without contrast agent injection in regions of the brain with amyloid deposition. Our results demonstrated that both approaches were able to identify the differences between AD transgenic mice and wild-type mice, after injected with USPIO-Aβ1-42. The feasibility of using less invasive intravenous femoral injections for amyloid plaque detection in AD transgenic mice facilitates using this method for longitudinal studies in the pathogenesis of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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