Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and the risk for Alzheimer's disease: dissecting the epidemiological evidence

Inflammation, Autoimmunity and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Therapeutics and Beyond

Neurodegenerative disease (ND) incidence has recently increased due to improved life expectancy. Alzheimer's (AD) or Parkinson's disease (PD) are the most prevalent NDs. Both diseases are poly genetic, multifactorial and heterogenous. Preventive medicine, a healthy diet, exercise, and controlling comorbidities may delay the onset. After the diseases are diagnosed, therapy is needed to slow progression. Recent studies show that local, peripheral and age-related inflammation accelerates NDs' onset and progression. Patients with autoimmune disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) could be at higher risk of developing AD or PD. However, no increase in ND incidence has been reported if the patients are adequately diagnosed and treated. Autoantibodies against abnormal tau, β amyloid and α- synuclein have been encountered in AD and PD and may be protective. This discovery led to the proposal of immune-based therapies for AD and PD involving monoclonal antibodies, immunization/ vaccines, pro-inflammatory cytokine inhibition and anti-inflammatory cytokine addition. All the different approaches have been analysed here. Future perspectives on new therapeutic strategies for both disorders are concisely examined.

Acetylsalicylic Acid-Primus Inter Pares in Pharmacology

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is one of the first drugs to be obtained by synthesis while being the most used. It has experienced the longest lasting commercial success and is considered the most popular drug of the modern era. ASA, originally used as an anti-inflammatory medication, nowadays is predominantly used as an antiplatelet agent for prophylaxis in cardiac patients. Many studies show that the benefits of using ASA far outweigh the potential risk of side effects. With particular emphasis on the possibility of ASA repositioning for new therapies, extending the indications for use beyond the diseases from the spectrum of atherosclerotic diseases, such as cancer, requires shifting the benefit-risk ratio, although very good, even more towards safety. Interesting activities consisting not only of changing the formulation but also modifying the drug molecule seem to be an important goal of the 21st century. ASA has become a milestone in two important fields: pharmacy and medicine. For a pharmacist, ASA is a long-used drug for which individual indications are practically maintained. For a doctor, acetylsalicylic acid is primarily an antiplatelet drug that saves millions of lives of patients with coronary heart disease or after a stroke. These facts do not exempt us from improving therapeutic methods based on ASA, the main goal of which is to reduce the risk of side effects, as well as to extend effectiveness. Modified acetylsalicylic acid molecules already seem to be a promising therapeutic option.

Chronic Neurological Disorders: Genetic and Epigenetic Markers for Monitoring of Pharmacotherapy

Introduction

Chronic neurological diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. With increasing life expectancy in the developing world, the incidence and prevalence of these diseases are predicted to rise even further. This has also contributed to an increase in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for noncommunicable diseases. Treatment for such diseases also poses a challenge with multiple genetic and epigenetic factors leading to a varied outcome. Personalization of treatment is one way that treatment outcome/prognosis of disease can be improved, and pharmacogenomics plays a significant role in this context.

Methodology

This article reviewed the evidence pertaining to the association of genetic and epigenetic markers with major neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), which are a major source of burden among neurological disorders. Types of studies included are peer-reviewed original research articles from the PubMed database (1999-2018).

Results

This study compiled data regarding specific genetic and epigenetic markers with a significant correlation between the clinical diagnosis of the disease and prognosis of therapy from 65 studies. In a single platform, this review highlights the clues to some vital questions, such as why interferon beta (IFN-β) therapy fails to improve symptoms in all MS patients? why cholinesterase inhibitors fail to improve cognitive impairment in a subset of people suffering from AD? or why some individuals on levodopa (L-DOPA) for PD suffer from side-effects ranging from dyskinesia to hallucination while others do not?

Conclusion

This article summarizes the genetic and epigenetic factors that may either require monitoring or help in deciding future pharmacotherapy in a patient suffering from MS, AD, and PD. As the health care system develops and reaches newer heights, we expect more and more of these biomarkers to be used as pharmacotherapeutic outcome indicators.

Preclinical Marmoset Model for Targeting Chronic Inflammation as a Strategy to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

Due to the aging population, modern society is facing an increasing prevalence of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is an age-related chronic neurodegenerative disorder for which no satisfying therapy exists. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the onset of AD is necessary to find targets for protective treatment. There is growing awareness of the essential role of the immune system in the early AD pathology. Amyloidopathy, the main feature of early-stage AD, has a deregulating effect on the immune function. This is reciprocal as the immune system also affects amyloidopathy. It seems that the inflammatory reaction shows a heterogeneous pattern depending on the stage of the disease and the variation between individuals, making not only the target but also the timing of treatment important. The lack of relevant translational animal models that faithfully reproduce clinical and pathogenic features of AD is a major cause of the delay in developing new disease-modifying therapies and their optimal timing of administration. This review describes the communication between amyloidopathy and inflammation and the possibility of using nonhuman primates as a relevant animal model for preclinical AD research.

Novel aqueous biphasic system based on ionic liquid for the simultaneous extraction of seven active pharmaceutical ingredients in aquatic environment

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are classes of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which are continuously contaminating the ecosystem through various anthropogenic activities. Because of their pseudo-persistence in the aquatic environment and their potentially chronic effects on aquatic life, it is important to closely monitor their concentrations in the aquatic environment using a sensitive analytical method. Sustainable aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) composed of ionic liquids and biodegradable organic salt (sodium malate) were proposed. The phase diagrams of the systems were firstly determined, and [N₄₄₄₄]Cl-based ABS was selected for the simultaneous extraction and preconcentration of seven APIs. With the developed ABS, extraction efficiencies of APIs close to 100% were obtained. For the developed method, limits of detection (LODs) of 45, 65, 76, 14, 60, 48, and 51 ng L^-1 were obtained for indomethacin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, and chloramphenicol, respectively, providing from 1216- to 1238-fold improvement as compared with the analysis without preconcentration. From an economic and environmental point of view, we can predict the prospects and competitive position of the method developed.

Acceleration of Amyloidosis by Inflammation in the Amyloid-Beta Marmoset Monkey Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Background: The immune system is increasingly mentioned as a potential target for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment.

Objective: In the present pilot study, the effect of (neuro)inflammation on amyloidopathy was investigated in the marmoset monkey, which has potential as an AD animal model due to its natural cerebral amyloidosis similar to humans.

Methods: Six adult/aged marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) were intracranial injected with amyloid-beta (Aβ) fibrils at three cortical locations in the right hemisphere. Additionally, in half of the monkeys, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was co-injected with the Aβ fibrils and injected in the other hemisphere without Aβ fibrils. The other three monkeys received phosphate buffered saline instead of LPS, as a control for the inflammatory state. The effect of inflammation on amyloidopathy was also investigated in an additional monkey that suffered from chronic inflammatory wasting syndrome. Mirror histology sections were analyzed to assess amyloidopathy and immune reaction, and peripheral blood for AD biomarker expression.

Results: All LPS-injected monkeys showed an early AD immune blood cell expression profile on CD95 and CD45RA. Two out of three monkeys injected with Aβ and LPS and the additional monkey, suffering from chronic inflammation, developed plaques. None of the controls, injected with Aβ only, developed any plaques.

Conclusion: This study shows the importance of immune modulation on the susceptibility for amyloidosis, a hallmark of AD, which offers new perspectives for disease modifying approaches in AD.

Pathophysiological Roles of Cyclooxygenases and Prostaglandins in the Central Nervous System

Cyclooxygenases (COXs) oxidize arachidonic acid to prostaglandin (PG) G2 and H2 followed by PG synthases that generates PGs and thromboxane (TX) A2. COXs are divided into COX-1 and COX-2. In the central nervous system, COX-1 is constitutively expressed in neurons, astrocytes, and microglial cells. COX-2 is upregulated in these cells under pathophysiological conditions. In hippocampal long-term potentiation, COX-2, PGE synthase, and PGE2 are induced in post-synaptic neurons. PGE2 acts pre-synaptic EP2 receptor, generates cAMP, stimulates protein kinase A, modulates voltage-dependent calcium channel, facilitates glutamatergic synaptic transmission, and potentiates long-term plasticity. PGD2, PGE2, and PGI2 exhibit neuroprotective effects via Gs-coupled DP1, EP2/EP4, and IP receptors, respectively. COX-2, PGD2, PGE2, PGF2α, and TXA2 are elevated in stroke. COX-2 inhibitors exhibit neuroprotective effects in vivo and in vitro models of stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, and schizophrenia, suggesting neurotoxicities of COX products. PGE2, PGF2α, and TXA2 can contribute to the neurodegeneration via EP1, FP, and TP receptors, respectively, which are coupled with Gq, stimulate phospholipase C and cleave phosphatidylinositol diphosphate to produce inositol triphosphate and diacylglycerol. Inositol triphosphate binds to inositol triphosphate receptor in endoplasmic reticulum, releases calcium, and results in increasing intracellular calcium concentrations. Diacylglycerol activates calcium-dependent protein kinases. PGE2 disrupts Ca(2+) homeostasis by impairing Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange via EP1, resulting in the excess Ca(2+) accumulation. Neither PGE2, PGF2α, nor TXA2 causes neuronal cell death by itself, suggesting that they might enhance the ischemia-induced neurodegeneration. Alternatively, PGE2 is non-enzymatically dehydrated to a cyclopentenone PGA2, which induces neuronal cell death. Although PGD2 induces neuronal apoptosis after a lag time, neither DP1 nor DP2 is involved in the neurotoxicity. As well as PGE2, PGD2 is non-enzymatically dehydrated to a cyclopentenone 15-deoxy-Δ(12,14)-PGJ2, which induces neuronal apoptosis without a lag time. However, neurotoxicities of these cyclopentenones are independent of their receptors. The COX-2 inhibitor inhibits both the anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent growth of glioma cell lines regardless of COX-2 expression, suggesting that some COX-2-independent mechanisms underlie the antineoplastic effect of the inhibitor. PGE2 attenuates this antineoplastic effect, suggesting that the predominant mechanism is COX-dependent. COX-2 or EP1 inhibitors show anti-neoplastic effects. Thus, our review presents evidences for pathophysiological roles of cyclooxygenases and prostaglandins in the central nervous system.

How dependent is synaptic plasticity on microglial phenotype?

Microglia are particularly plastic cells which can be shifted from their resting state by numerous factors and adopt distinct phenotypes. The cells are multifunctional, though their main role is probably maintenance of homoeostasis. Resting cells are responsible for surveillance, whereas activation induces the cells to adopt neuroprotective or neurodetrimental roles, which are anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory respectively. The evidence indicates that activated cells with a pro-inflammatory phenotype predominate in neurodegenerative diseases and models of neurodegeneration and that this may significantly contribute to the deteriorating neuronal function. This question is considered in this review, in particular in the context of animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Neuroimmunology and Synaptic Function'.

The impact of neuroimmune changes on development of amyloid pathology; relevance to Alzheimer's disease

Neuroinflammatory changes are a characteristic of several, if not all, neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and are typified by increased microglial activation. Microglia express several receptors making them highly reactive and plastic cells, and, at least in vitro, they adopt different phenotypes in a manner analogous to their peripheral counterparts, macrophages. Microglia also express numerous cell surface proteins enabling them to interact with cells and the evidence indicates that maintenance of microglia in a quiescent state relies, at least to some extent, on an interaction with neurons by means of specific ligand-receptor pairs, for example CD200-CD200R. It is clear that microglia also interact with T cells and recent evidence indicates that co-incubation of microglia with T helper type 1 cells markedly increases their activation. Under normal conditions, small numbers of activated T cells gain entry to the brain and are involved in immune surveillance but infiltration of significant numbers of T cells occurs in disease and following injury. The consequences of T cell infiltration appear to depend on the conditions, with descriptions of both neurodestructive and neuroprotective effects in animal models of different diseases. This review will discuss the modulatory effect of T cells on microglia and the impact of infiltration of T cells into the brain with a focus on Alzheimer's disease, and will propose that infiltration of interferon-γ-producing cells may be an important factor in triggering inflammation that is pathogenic and destructive.

Neuropathology and treatment of Alzheimer disease: did we lose the forest for the trees?

Although amyloid-beta-containing senile plaques and phospho-tau containing neurofibrillary tangles are hallmark lesions of Alzheimer disease (AD), neither is specific for AD, nor even a marker of AD. Rather, they are empirical lesions that require close correlation with age and clinical signs for optimal interpretation. In essence, these lesions represent the effect rather than the cause of disease. In this review, we discuss diagnostic criteria for AD, the relationship between pathology, pathogenesis and multiple treatment approaches that have so far been disappointing, including those that presume to address pathological lesions. An acceptance that lesion-based therapies do not address etiology or rate-limiting pathogenic factors is probably necessary for the best chance of significant advances that have thus far been elusive.

Chemical Biology, Molecular Mechanism and Clinical Perspective of γ-Secretase Modulators in Alzheimer's Disease

Comprehensive evidence supports that oligomerization and accumulation of amyloidogenic Aβ42 peptides in brain is crucial in the pathogenesis of both familial and sporadic forms of Alzheimer's disease. Imaging studies indicate that the buildup of Aβ begins many years before the onset of clinical symptoms, and that subsequent neurodegeneration and cognitive decline may proceed independently of Aβ. This implies the necessity for early intervention in cognitively normal individuals with therapeutic strategies that prioritize safety. The aspartyl protease γ-secretase catalyses the last step in the cellular generation of Aβ42 peptides, and is a principal target for anti-amyloidogenic intervention strategies. Due to the essential role of γ-secretase in the NOTCH signaling pathway, overt mechanism-based toxicity has been observed with the first generation of γ-secretase inhibitors, and safety of this approach has been questioned. However, two new classes of small molecules, γ-secretase modulators (GSMs) and NOTCH-sparing γ-secretase inhibitors, have revitalized γ-secretase as a drug target in AD. GSMs are small molecules that cause a product shift from Aβ42 towards shorter and less toxic Ab peptides. Importantly, GSMs spare other physiologically important substrates of the γ-secretase complex like NOTCH. Recently, GSMs with nanomolar potency and favorable in vivo properties have been described. In this review, we summarize the knowledge about the unusual proteolytic activity of γ-secretase, and the chemical biology, molecular mechanisms and clinical perspective of compounds that target the γ-secretase complex, with a particular focus on GSMs.

Association study of polymorphisms in the cyclooxygenase-2 gene and Alzheimer's disease risk in Chinese

To determine if polymorphisms (-765G/C, -1195G/A and 8473T/C) of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene can be associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). The frequency of the polymorphisms was determined in 244 cases and 226 controls. The results revealed that the distributions of COX-2 -765G/C and 8473T/C polymorphisms were statistically not significant between AD cases and controls. The genotype distributions and allele frequencies of COX-2 -1195G/A polymorphism in the cases were statistically significantly different from the controls (P < 0.05). The A/A distribution and A allele frequency were significantly lower in the AD group. COX-2 -1195AA carriers showed a one-third lower risk of developing AD as compared to those with -1195GG and GA genotypes (OR = 0.3, 95 % CI 0.194-0.465, P = 0.000). This study suggested that -1195G/A polymorphism of the COX-2 gene is associated with the risk of AD, and the A allele represents a protective factor in patients with AD.

Natural isothiocyanates: genotoxic potential versus chemoprevention

Isothiocyanates, occurring in many dietary cruciferous vegetables, show interesting chemopreventive activities against several chronic-degenerative diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration, diabetes. The electrophilic carbon residue in the isothiocyanate moiety reacts with biological nucleophiles and modification of proteins is recognized as a key mechanism underlying the biological activity of isothiocyanates. The nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 system, which orchestrates the expression of a wide array of antioxidant genes, plays a role in the protective effect of isothiocyanates against almost all the pathological conditions reported above. Recent emerging findings suggest a further common mechanism. Chronic inflammation plays a central role in many human diseases and isothiocyanates inhibit the activity of many inflammation components, suppress cyclooxygenase 2, and irreversibly inactivate the macrophage migration inhibitory factor. Due to their electrophilic reactivity, some isothiocyanates are able to form adducts with DNA and induce gene mutations and chromosomal aberrations. DNA damage has been demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of various chronic-degenerative diseases of epidemiological relevance. Thus, the genotoxicity of the isothiocyanates should be carefully considered. In addition, the dose-response relationship for genotoxic compounds does not suggest evidence of a threshold. Thus, chemicals that are genotoxic pose a greater potential risk to humans than non-genotoxic compounds. Dietary consumption levels of isothiocyanates appear to be several orders of magnitude lower than the doses used in the genotoxicity studies and thus it is highly unlikely that such toxicities would occur in humans. However, the beneficial properties of isothiocyanates stimulated an increase of dietary supplements and functional foods with highly enriched isothiocyanate concentrations on the market. Whether such concentrations may exert a potential health risk cannot be excluded with certainty and an accurate evaluation of the toxicological profile of isothiocyanates should be prompted before any major increase in their consumption be recommended or their clinical use suggested.

The role of nitric oxide in prostaglandin biology; update

The biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin share many similarities. Two major forms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX) have been identified: constitutive versus inducible. In general, the constitutive form functions in housekeeping and physiologic roles whereas the inducible form is up-regulated by mitogenic or inflammatory stimuli and is responsible for pathophysiological responses. The cross talk between the COX and NOS pathways was initially reported in 1993 and since then, numerous studies have been undertaken to delineate the functional consequences of this interaction as well as the potential mechanism by which each pathway interacts. This review will focus in particular on recent advances in this field that extend our understanding of these two pathways under various systems.

Alternative drug therapies for dementia

Drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease include acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (i.e., tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine) and glutamate-modulating (i.e., memantine) drugs. Because these drugs have modest benefits, various alternative drug therapies have been of interest. Drugs with vasodilator activity were originally tried in dementia when it was hypothesized that the condition was due to cerebrovascular insufficiency. Isoxsuprine and ergoloid mesylates are FDA approved for the treatment of dementia, although they have limited evidence of benefit and are rarely used. The hypothesis that free radicals may initiate and maintain mechanisms responsible for neurodegeneration in dementia has stimulated interest in investigating various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drugs. There is no evidence that other drug therapies, including vitamin E, selegiline, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statin drugs, omega-3 fatty acids, estrogen or combined estrogen plus progestin therapy, or B vitamins, are sufficiently effective and safe to justify their clinical use for the treatment of dementing disorders.

Reduced DNA oxidation in aged prostaglandin H synthase-1 knockout mice

Prostaglandin H synthase (PHS)-2 (COX-2) is implicated in the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. Multiple mechanisms may be involved, including PHS-catalyzed bioactivation of neurotransmitters, precursors, and metabolites to neurotoxic free radical intermediates. Herein, in vitro studies with the purified PHS-1 (COX-1) isoform and in vivo studies of aging PHS-1 knockout mice were used to evaluate the potential neurodegenerative role of PHS-1-catalyzed bioactivation of endogenous neurotransmitters to free radical intermediates that enhance reactive oxygen species formation and oxidative DNA damage. The brains of 2-year-old wild-type (+/+) PHS-1 normal and heterozygous (+/-) and homozygous (-/-) PHS-1 knockout mice were analyzed for 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine formation, characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection and by immunohistochemistry. Compared to aging PHS-1(+/+) normal mice, aging PHS-1(-/-) knockout mice had less oxidative DNA damage in the cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, and brain stem. This PHS-1-dependent oxidative damage was not observed in young mice. In vitro incubation of purified PHS-1 and 2'-deoxyguanosine with dopamine, L-DOPA, and epinephrine, but not glutamate or norepinephrine, enhanced oxidative DNA damage. These results suggest that PHS-1-dependent accumulation of oxidatively damaged macromolecules including DNA may contribute to the mechanisms and risk factors of aging-related neurodegeneration.

Cerebral arachidonate cascade in dementia: Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia

Phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), cyclooxygenase (COX) and prostaglandin (PG) synthase are enzymes involved in arachidonate cascade. PLA(2) liberates arachidonic acid (AA) from cell membrane lipids. COX oxidizes AA to PGG(2) followed by an endoperoxidase reaction that converts PGG(2) into PGH(2). PGs are generated from astrocytes, microglial cells and neurons in the central nervous system, and are altered in the brain of demented patients. Dementia is principally diagnosed into Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). In older patients, the brain lesions associated with each pathological process often occur together. Regional brain microvascular abnormalities appear before cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. The coexistence of AD and VaD pathology is often termed mixed dementia. AD and VaD brain lesions interact in important ways to decline cognition, suggesting common pathways of the two neurological diseases. Arachidonate cascade is one of the converged intracellular signal transductions between AD and VaD. PLA(2) from mammalian sources are classified as secreted (sPLA(2)), Ca(2+)-dependent, cytosolic (cPLA(2)) and Ca(2+)-independent cytosolic PLA(2) (iPLA(2)). PLA(2) activity can be regulated by calcium, by phosphorylation, and by agonists binding to G-protein-coupled receptors. cPLA(2) is upregulalted in AD, but iPLA(2) is downregulated. On the other hand, sPLA(2) is increased in animal models for VaD. COX-2 is induced and PGD(2) are elevated in both AD and VaD. This review presents evidences for central roles of PLA(2)s, COXs and PGs in the dementia.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, and cognitive function in the Baltimore longitudinal study of aging

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relations between the use of nonaspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin and age-related change in multiple domains of cognitive function in community-dwelling individuals without dementia.

DESIGN

Longitudinal, with measures obtained on one to 18 occasions over up to 45 years.

SETTING

General community.

PARTICIPANTS

A volunteer sample of up to 2,300 participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging free of diagnosed dementia.

MEASUREMENTS

At each visit, reported NSAID or aspirin use (yes/no) and tests of verbal and visual memory, attention, perceptuo-motor speed, confrontation naming, executive function, and mental status.

RESULTS

Mixed-effects regression models revealed that NSAID use was associated with less prospective decline on the Blessed Information-Memory-Concentration (I-M-C) Test, a mental status test weighted for memory and concentration (P<.001), and Part B of the Trail Making Test, a test of perceptuo-motor speed and mental flexibility (P<.05). In contrast, aspirin use was related to greater prospective decline on the Blessed I-M-C Test (P<.05) and the Benton Visual Retention Test, a test of visual memory (P<.001).

CONCLUSION

Consistent with studies of incident dementia, NSAID users without dementia displayed less prospective decline in cognitive function, but on only two cognitive measures. In contrast, aspirin use was associated with greater prospective cognitive decline on select measures, potentially reflecting its common use for vascular disease prophylaxis. Effect sizes were small, calling into question clinical significance, although overall public health significance may be meaningful.

Does neuroinflammation fan the flame in neurodegenerative diseases?

While peripheral immune access to the central nervous system (CNS) is restricted and tightly controlled, the CNS is capable of dynamic immune and inflammatory responses to a variety of insults. Infections, trauma, stroke, toxins and other stimuli are capable of producing an immediate and short lived activation of the innate immune system within the CNS. This acute neuroinflammatory response includes activation of the resident immune cells (microglia) resulting in a phagocytic phenotype and the release of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and chemokines. While an acute insult may trigger oxidative and nitrosative stress, it is typically short-lived and unlikely to be detrimental to long-term neuronal survival. In contrast, chronic neuroinflammation is a long-standing and often self-perpetuating neuroinflammatory response that persists long after an initial injury or insult. Chronic neuroinflammation includes not only long-standing activation of microglia and subsequent sustained release of inflammatory mediators, but also the resulting increased oxidative and nitrosative stress. The sustained release of inflammatory mediators works to perpetuate the inflammatory cycle, activating additional microglia, promoting their proliferation, and resulting in further release of inflammatory factors. Neurodegenerative CNS disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), tauopathies, and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), are associated with chronic neuroinflammation and elevated levels of several cytokines. Here we review the hallmarks of acute and chronic inflammatory responses in the CNS, the reasons why microglial activation represents a convergence point for diverse stimuli that may promote or compromise neuronal survival, and the epidemiologic, pharmacologic and genetic evidence implicating neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative diseases.

Inhibition of soluble TNF signaling in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease prevents pre-plaque amyloid-associated neuropathology

Microglial activation and overproduction of inflammatory mediators in the central nervous system (CNS) have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Elevated levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) have been reported in serum and post-mortem brains of patients with AD, but its role in progression of AD is unclear. Using novel engineered dominant negative TNF inhibitors (DN-TNFs) selective for soluble TNF (solTNF), we investigated whether blocking TNF signaling with chronic infusion of the recombinant DN-TNF XENP345 or a single injection of a lentivirus encoding DN-TNF prevented the acceleration of AD-like pathology induced by chronic systemic inflammation in 3xTgAD mice. We found that chronic inhibition of solTNF signaling with either approach decreased the LPS-induced accumulation of 6E10-immunoreactive protein in hippocampus, cortex, and amygdala. Immunohistological and biochemical approaches using a C-terminal APP antibody indicated that a major fraction of the accumulated protein was likely to be C-terminal APP fragments (beta-CTF) while a minor fraction consisted of Av40 and 42. Genetic inactivation of TNFR1-mediated TNF signaling in 3xTgAD mice yielded similar results. Taken together, our studies indicate that soluble TNF is a critical mediator of the effects of neuroinflammation on early (pre-plaque) pathology in 3xTgAD mice. Targeted inhibition of solTNF in the CNS may slow the appearance of amyloid-associated pathology, cognitive deficits, and potentially the progressive loss of neurons in AD.

Decreased expression of CD200 and CD200 receptor in Alzheimer's disease: a potential mechanism leading to chronic inflammation

Inflammatory activation of microglia in response to neurodegenerative changes in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease has been extensively described. These observations have suggested that inflammation could be contributing to disease progression. In this paper, the potential role of CD200 and CD200 receptor (CD200R), whose known functions are to activate anti-inflammatory pathways and induce immune tolerance through binding of CD200 to CD200 receptor (CD200R), was studied in AD. Quantitative studies showed a significant decrease in CD200 protein and mRNA in AD hippocampus and inferior temporal gyrus, but not cerebellum. Immunohistochemistry of brain tissue sections of hippocampus, superior frontal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus and cerebellum from AD and non-demented cases demonstrated a predominant, though heterogeneous, neuronal localization for CD200. Decreased neuronal expression was apparent in brain regions affected by AD pathology. There was also a significant decrease in CD200R mRNA expression in AD hippocampus and inferior temporal gyrus, but not cerebellum. Low expression of CD200R by microglia was confirmed at the mRNA and protein level using cultured human microglia compared to blood-derived macrophages. Treatment of microglia and macrophages with interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 significantly increased expression of CD200R. Expression of these cytokines was not generally detectable in brain. These data indicate that the anti-inflammatory CD200/CD200R system may be deficient in AD brains. Mechanisms aimed at increasing levels of CD200 and CD200R could have therapeutic potential for controlling inflammation in human neurodegenerative diseases.

CD45RB is a novel molecular therapeutic target to inhibit Abeta peptide-induced microglial MAPK activation

Background

Microglial activation, characterized by p38 MAPK or p44/42 MAPK pathway signal transduction, occurs in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous studies demonstrated CD45, a membrane-bound protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), opposed β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide-induced microglial activation via inhibition of p44/42 MAPK. Additionally we have shown agonism of the RB isoform of CD45 (CD45RB) abrogates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial activation.

Methodology and Results

In this study, CD45RB modulation of Aβ peptide or LPS-activated primary cultured microglial cells was further investigated. Microglial cells were co-treated with “aged” FITC-Aβ_1–42 and multiple CD45 isoform agonist antibodies. Data revealed cross-linking of CD45, particularly the CD45RB isoform, enhances microglial phagocytosis of Aβ_1–42 peptide and inhibits LPS-induced activation of p44/42 and p38 pathways. Co-treatment of microglial cells with agonist CD45 antibodies results in significant inhibition of LPS-induced microglial TNF-α and IL-6 release through p44/42 and/or p38 pathways. Moreover, inhibition of either of these pathways augmented CD45RB cross-linking induced microglial phagocytosis of Aβ_1–42 peptide. To investigate the mechanism(s) involved, microglial cells were co-treated with a PTP inhibitor (potassium bisperoxo [1,10-phenanthroline oxovanadate; Phen]) and Aβ_1–42 peptides. Data showed synergistic induction of microglial activation as evidenced by TNF-α and IL-6 release; both of which are demonstrated to be dependent on increased p44/42 and/or p38 activation. Finally, it was observed that cross-linking of CD45RB in the presence of Aβ_1–42 peptide, inhibits co-localization of microglial MHC class II and Aβ peptide; suggesting CD45 activation inhibits the antigen presenting phenotype of microglial cells.

Conclusion

In summary, p38 MAPK is another novel signaling pathway, besides p44/42, in which CD45RB cross-linking negatively regulates microglial Aβ phagocytosis while increasing potentially neurotoxic inflammation. Therefore, agonism of CD45RB PTP activity may be an effective therapeutic target for novel agents to treat AD due to its Aβ lowering, and inflammation reducing, properties that are particularly targeted at microglial cells. Such treatments may be more effective with less potential to produce systemic side-effects than therapeutics which induce non-specific, systemic down-regulation of inflammation.

Cerebrospinal fluid/serum IgG index is correlated with medial temporal lobe atrophy in Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND/AIM

Intrathecal inflammation has been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there is little clinical evidence in support of this hypothesis in AD patients. We previously reported that the blood-brain barrier permeability represented by the cerebrospinal fluid/serum albumin ratio correlates with medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) in AD. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between intrathecal inflammation and the severity of AD.

METHODS

We investigated the correlations between the cerebrospinal fluid/serum IgG index and the indices of AD severity, including Clinical Dementia Rating and Mini-Mental State Examination, and MTA on magnetic resonance imaging in 42 AD patients. Further, the number of apolipoprotein E isoforms and the blood-brain barrier permeability were also examined for the correlation with the IgG index.

RESULTS

The IgG index showed a positive correlation with the severity of MTA but not with the other parameters examined.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that intrathecal inflammation increases in association with the severity of MTA in AD.

Evaluating the quality of longitudinal statistical applications in original publications on Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To evaluate the quality of longitudinal statistical applications in published studies on Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS

A 21-item instrument, the Quality of Longitudinal AD Studies (QLADS), was developed by the research team (4 biostatisticians, 1 neuroepidemiologist, and 1 neurologist). All items were extensively discussed within the team for content validity. After pilot testing on 5 publications, the instrument was revised and tested for reliability with a sample of 40 published longitudinal AD studies randomly sampled from MEDLINE.

RESULTS

Item-specific test-retest reliability coefficients for QLADS ranged from 0.53 to 1.00 with the associated standard error (SE) ranging from 0.02 to 0.13. The test-retest reliability for the overall score over the 21 items was high (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.94, 95% CI 0.90, 0.97). Item-specific inter-rater reliability coefficients for QLADS ranged from 0.46 to 1.00 with the associated SE ranging from 0.07 to 0.18. The inter-rater reliability for the overall score was also high (ICC = 0.87, 95% CI 0.77, 0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that the quality of longitudinal statistical applications in AD publications can be reliably assessed.

Anti-inflammatory and immune therapy for Alzheimer's disease: current status and future directions

From the initial characterizations of inflammatory responses in Alzheimer's disease (AD) affected brains, namely the demonstration of activated microglia and reactive astrocytes, complement system activation, increased production of proinflammatory cytokines, and evidence for microglial-produced neurotoxins, there was hope that reducing inflammation might be a feasible treatment for this memory-robbing disease. This hope was supported by a number of epidemiology studies demonstrating that patients who took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs had significantly lower risk of developing AD. However, clinical trials of anti-inflammatories have not shown effectiveness, and in recent years, the concept of immune therapy has become a treatment option as animal studies and clinical trials with Abeta vaccines have demonstrated enhanced amyloid removal through stimulation of microglial phagocytosis.This review will examine the current status of whether inhibiting inflammation is a valid therapeutic target for treating AD; what lessons have come from the clinical trials; what new pathways and classes of agents are being considered; and how this field of research can progress towards new therapeutics. We will examine a number of agents that have shown effectiveness in reducing inflammation amongst other demonstrated mechanisms of action. The major focus of much AD drug discovery has been in identifying agents that have anti-amyloid properties; however, a number of these agents were first identified for their anti-inflammatory properties. As drug development and clinical testing is a costly and lengthy endeavor, sound justification of new therapeutic targets is required. Possible future directions for AD anti-inflammatory or immune clearance therapy will be discussed based on recent experimental data.

Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment

As our society ages, age-related diseases assume increasing prominence as both personal and public health concerns. Disorders of cognition are particularly important in both regards, and Alzheimer's disease is by far the most common cause of dementia of aging. In 2000, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States was estimated to be 4.5 million individuals, and this number has been projected to increase to 14 million by 2050. Although not an inevitable consequence of aging, these numbers speak to the dramatic scope of its impact. This article focuses on Alzheimer's disease and the milder degrees of cognitive impairment that may precede the clinical diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease, such as mild cognitive impairment.

The phenylic hydroxyl group is essential for the induction of stress response by sodium salicylate

We have shown that sodium salicylate (SA) activates the heat shock promoter and induces the expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps) with a concomitant increase in the thermotolerance of cells. To identify the functional groups of SA necessary for the induction of Hsps, we evaluated the effect of various derivatives of SA using a mammalian cell line containing a reporter gene downstream of an hsp105 promoter. Among the derivatives, the compounds in which the carboxyl group of SA was substituted activated the hsp105 promoter at 37 degrees C as SA did, but the compounds in which the hydroxyl group was substituted did not. Thus, the phenylic hydroxyl group but not the carboxyl group of SA seemed to be necessary for a stress-induced response. In addition, the orientation of two functional groups on the benzene ring of SA derivatives was also important for the induction of a response. Among these compounds, salicylalcohol which strongly induced the expression of Hsps suppressed the protein aggregation and apoptosis caused by an expanded polyglutamine tract in a cellular model of polyglutamine disease. These findings may aid in the development of novel effective Hsp-inducers.

Inflammatory changes parallel the early stages of Alzheimer disease

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most prominent cause of dementia in the elderly. To determine changes in the AD brain that may mediate the transition into dementia, the gene expression of approximately 10,000 full-length genes was compared in mild/moderate dementia cases to non-demented controls that exhibited high AD pathology. Including this latter group distinguishes this work from previous studies in that it allows analysis of early cognitive loss. Compared to non-demented high-pathology controls, the hippocampus of AD cases with mild/moderate dementia had increased gene expression of the inflammatory molecule major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II, as assessed with microarray analysis. MHC II protein levels were also increased and inversely correlated with cognitive ability. Interestingly, the mild/moderate AD dementia cases also exhibited decreased number of T cells in the hippocampus and the cortex compared to controls. In conclusion, transition into AD dementia correlates with increased MHC II(+) microglia-mediated immunity and is paradoxically paralleled by a decrease in T cell number, suggesting immune dysfunction.

Inflammation and dementia: epidemiologic evidence

Based on experimental and neuropathologic studies, inflammation is postulated to play a central role in processes leading to neurodegeneration as well as vascular injury. To better understand the role of inflammation in cognitive disorders (CD), identify potential biomarkers for CD, and select individuals who may have a genetic susceptibility to CD, several different measures of inflammation have been employed in epidemiologic studies of CD, which are reviewed here. An inverse association of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications has been consistently reported. More variable are reports on the associations of various serum markers of cytokines to CD. There are few epidemiologic studies that have examined the association of CD and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) regulating cytokines, although these have been examined in clinical case-control series. Data are summarized on the association of interleukin-1 SNPs from the Honolulu Asia Aging Study. There are many outstanding questions about the role of inflammation in CD and how best to measure it in the context of population-based studies.

Cholesterol and 24S-hydroxycholesterol trafficking in Alzheimer's disease

Cholesterol and the cholesterol oxide 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-HC) are highly enriched in the human CNS. Clinical, genetic, neurochemical and epidemiological evidence continue to support dysfunctional cholesterol metabolism as an important contributing factor driving the development and/or progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. Cholesterol overabundance in the brain plasma membrane lipid- raft domains, appears to be fundamental to the generation of the more neurotoxic forms of amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide from beta-amyloid holoprotein precursor. 24S-HC may have a pivotal role in promoting altered inflammatory signaling, apoptotic genetic responses and AD-type change. In clinical studies, cholesterol-lowering statins, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cholesterol absorption/transport inhibitors and related modulators of cholesterol trafficking have demonstrated some pharmacological benefit for the treatment of AD, but overall their efficacy at slowing the cognitive decline and the progression of AD remains controversial and open to question.

Prostaglandin H synthase-catalyzed bioactivation of amphetamines to free radical intermediates that cause CNS regional DNA oxidation and nerve terminal degeneration

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in amphetamine-initiated neurodegeneration, but the mechanism is unclear. Here, we show that amphetamines are bioactivated by CNS prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) to free radical intermediates that cause ROS formation and neurodegenerative oxidative DNA damage. In vitro incubations of purified PHS-1 with 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and methamphetamine (METH) demonstrated PHS-catalyzed time- and concentration-dependent formation of an amphetamine carbon- and/or nitrogen-centered free radical intermediate, and stereoselective oxidative DNA damage, evidenced by 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) formation. Similarly in vivo, MDA and METH caused dose- and time-dependent DNA oxidation in multiple brain regions, remarkably dependent on the regional PHS levels, including the striatum and substantia nigra, wherein neurodegeneration of dopaminergic nerve terminals was evidenced by decreased immunohistochemical staining of tyrosine hydroxylase. Motor impairment using the rotarod test was evident within 3 wk after the last drug dose, and persisted for at least 6 months. Pretreatment with the PHS inhibitor acetylsalicylic acid blocked MDA-initiated DNA oxidation and protected against functional motor impairment for at least 1.5 months after drug treatment. This is the first direct evidence for PHS-catalyzed bioactivation of amphetamines causing temporal and regional differences in CNS oxidative DNA damage directly related to structural and functional neurodegenerative consequences.

Signalling networks regulating cyclooxygenase-2

Cyclooxygenease-2 (COX-2) is the key enzyme regulating the production of prostaglandins, central mediators of inflammation. The expression of cyclooxygenease-2 is induced by several extra cellular signals including pro-inflammatory and growth-promoting stimuli. All signals converge to the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) that regulate cyclooxygenease-2 mRNA levels both at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. The machinery appears to be highly specialized involving activation of distinct signalling molecules depending on the type of extracellular stimulus. Expression of cyclooxygenease-2 mRNA is regulated by several transcription factors including the cyclic-AMP response element binding protein (CREB), nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) and the CCAAT-enhancer binding protein (C/EBP). Cyclooxygenease-2 is also affected post-transcriptionaly, at the level of mRNA stability. Finally, cyclooxygenease-2 can be affected directly at its enzymatic activity by nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Each step of cyclooxygenease-2 regulation can be used as potential therapeutic target.

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase as potential novel therapeutic strategy in N141I presenilin-2 familial Alzheimer's disease

The present study was designed to further explore the potential cause/effect relationship between the expression of both the N141I presenilin (PS)2 mutant familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) gene and cyclooxgenase (COX) in respect to the mechanism associated with programmed cell death in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We found that expression of mutant N141I PS2 resulting in apoptotic cell death in H4 neuronal cells coincided with >4-fold induction in the expression of the inducible form of COX-2, but not the constitutive COX-1. Moreover, we found that the expression of the N141I PS2 FAD gene strongly promoted (>2-fold) glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta activity coincidental with a reduction in the level of beta-catenin translocated from the cytoplasmic to the nuclear compartment. Most interestingly, we found that inhibition of COX-2-mediated generation of prostaglandin (PG)-E2 in H4 neuronal cells with the preferential COX-2 inhibitor nimesulide protects against N141I PS2-mediated apoptotic cell death coincidental with an inhibition of GSK-3beta activity and subsequent normalization of beta-catenin cellular distribution. The clinical relevance of this finding was confirmed by the evidence that COX-2 protein and PG-E2 concentrations were selectively increased >2-fold in the cerebral cortex of subjects harboring the N141I PS2 FAD mutation relative to wild-type PS2 AD cases. This study demonstrates for the first time that COX-2 may be a downstream effector of mutant N141I PS2-mediated apoptotic cell death and that inhibition of COX-2 may neuroprotect in AD through modulation of a GSK-3beta-beta-catenin-mediated response. The study provides support for the potential pharmacogenomic identification of N141I PS2 FAD cases that might preferentially benefit from inhibition of COX-2 during the progression of clinical dementia.

Alzheimer's disease--a dysfunction in cholesterol and lipid metabolism

1. Strong etiological association exists between dysfunctional metabolism of brain lipids, age-related changes in the cerebral vasculature and neurodegenerative features characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. 2. In this short review, recent experimental evidence for these associations is further discussed below.

A case for a non-transgenic animal model of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with an early impairment in memory and is the major cause of dementia in the elderly. beta-Amyloid (Abeta) is believed to be a primary factor in the pathogenic pathway leading to dementia. Mounting evidence suggests that this syndrome begins with subtle alterations in synaptic efficacy prior to extensive neuronal degeneration and that the synaptic dysfunction could be caused by diffusible oligomeric assemblies of Abeta. This paper reviews the findings from behavioral analysis, electrophysiology, neuropathology and nootropic drug screening studies involving exogenous administration of Abeta in normal rodent brains. This non-transgenic model of amyloid pathology in vivo is presented as a complementary alternative model to transgenic mice to study the cellular and molecular pathways induced by amyloid, which in turn may be a causal factor in the disruption of cognition. The data reviewed here confirm that the diffusible form of Abeta rapidly induces synaptic dysfunction and a secondary process involving cellular cascades induced by the fibrillar form of amyloid. The time-course of alteration in memory processes implicates at least two different mechanisms that may be targeted with selective therapies aimed at improving memory in some AD patients.

Lifelong aspirin supplementation as a means to extending life span

Arising from an initiative by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) requesting novel proposals challenged with increasing lifespan and longevity, our laboratory has generated a hypothesis to test the efficacy of lifelong, low-dosage aspirin administration as a means to achieving this goal. The intervention testing program (currently underway) proposing aspirin as an anti-aging agent evolved from the multitude of properties encompassed in aspirin and the potential of these attributes to prevent the cellular and functional declines, particularly from inflammatory and oxidative sources, evidenced to contribute to aging. Aspirin is a widely administered, cheap, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant compound that has a variety of positive effects on the immune system and cardiovascular health. Notably, aspirin may affect oxidant production, cytokine responses, and block glycooxidation reactions, thus posing it as a triple threat against the symptoms of aging. Whether aging is molded by interplay between oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators has received little attention; however, we and other laboratories have explored this notion and have observed an elevated inflammatory status with age. Stemming from these observations and in view of the limited success of antioxidant therapies in improving lifespan in long-lived species, in this article we propose a protocol to examine life-long use of a very low dose anti-inflammatory compound such as aspirin to engage the inflammatory and endogenous oxidative insults accompanying aging and, in so doing, attempt to increase maximum and mean life span.

Neurodegenerative diseases: a decade of discoveries paves the way for therapeutic breakthroughs

A wide variety of neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the accumulation of intracellular or extracellular protein aggregates. More recently, the genetic identification of mutations in familial counterparts to the sporadic disorders, leading to the development of in vitro and in vivo model systems, has provided insights into disease pathogenesis. The effect of many of these mutations is the abnormal processing of misfolded proteins that overwhelms the quality-control systems of the cell, resulting in the deposition of protein aggregates in the nucleus, cytosol and/or extracellular space. Further understanding of mechanisms regulating protein processing and aggregation, as well as of the toxic effects of misfolded neurodegenerative disease proteins, will facilitate development of rationally designed therapies to treat and prevent these disorders.

Minocycline prevents cholinergic loss in a mouse model of Down's syndrome

Individuals with Down's syndrome develop Alzheimer's-like pathologies comparatively early in life, including progressive degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs). Cholinergic hypofunction contributes to dementia-related cognitive decline and remains a target of therapeutic intervention for Alzheimer's disease. In light of this, partial trisomy 16 (Ts65Dn) mice have been developed to provide an animal model of Down's syndrome that exhibits progressive loss of BFCNs and cognitive ability. Another feature common to both Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease is neuroinflammation, which may exacerbate neurodegeneration, including cholinergic loss. Minocycline is a semisynthetic tetracycline with antiinflammatory properties that has demonstrated neuroprotective properties in certain disease models. Consistent with a role for inflammatory processes in BFCN degeneration, we have shown previously that minocycline protects BFCNs and improves memory in mice with acute, immunotoxic BFCN lesions. We now report that minocycline treatment inhibits microglial activation, prevents progressive BFCN decline, and markedly improves performance of Ts65Dn mice on a working and reference memory task. Minocycline is an established antiinflammatory and neuroprotective drug and may provide a novel approach to treat specific AD-like pathologies.

Cyclooxygenases: new forms, new inhibitors, and lessons from the clinic

The beneficial actions of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been linked to their ability to inhibit inducible COX-2 at sites of inflammation, and their side effects (e.g., gastric damage) to inhibition of constitutive COX-1. Selective inhibitors of COX-2, such as celecoxib, etoricoxib, lumiracoxib, rofecoxib, and valdecoxib have been developed and the greatest recent growth in our knowledge in this area has been come from the clinical use of these compounds. Although clinical data indicate that COX-2 selectivity is associated with a reduction in severe gastrointestinal events, they also reveal there are roles for constitutive COX-2 within tissues such as the brain, kidney, pancreas, intestine, and blood vessels. We now better understand the roles of COX-1 and COX-2 in functions as disparate as the perception of pain and the progression of cancers. Clinical use of COX-2-selective compounds has ignited strong debates regarding potential side effects, most notably those within the cardiovascular system such as myocardial infarctions, strokes, and elevation in blood pressure. This review will discuss how the latest studies help us understand the roles of COX-1 and COX-2 and what clinically proven benefits the newer generation of COX-2-selective inhibitors offer

Lack of specific amyloid-beta(1-42) suppression by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in young, plaque-free Tg2576 mice and in guinea pig neuronal cultures

Recent studies indicating that some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) selectively modulate gamma-secretase cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) while sparing Notch processing have generated interest in discovery of novel gamma-secretase modulators with the "NSAID-like" efficacy profile. The objective of the present studies was to compare the efficacy of a subset of NSAIDs with previously reported classical gamma-secretase inhibitors LY-411575 [N(2)-[(2S)-2-(3,5-difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethanoyl]-N(1)-[(7S)-5-methyl-6-oxo-6,7-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,d]azepin-7-yl]-L-alaninamide]and DAPT [N-[N- (3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester] in Tg2576 mice. Flurbiprofen (10 and 25 mg/kg/day) was overtly toxic and elicited significant (but nonselective) reductions in both Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42) in the plasma in one of two studies. Flurbiprofen also produced a small reduction in Abeta(1-40) in the cortex at 25 mg/kg/day but did not affect Abeta levels in hippocampus or cerebrospinal fluid. Ibuprofen and sulindac sulfide were neither overtly toxic nor efficacious at doses up to 50 mg/kg/day. The effects of NSAIDs LY-411575 and DAPT were tested in guinea pig embryonic neuronal cultures to determine whether the selective reductions in Abeta(1-42) observed in cell lines overexpressing human mutant APP can be reproduced in a neuronal model of physiological Abeta production and secretion. Flurbiprofen and sulindac nonselectively reduced Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42) at concentrations > or =125 microM, although cytotoxicity was noted at > or =250 microM sulindac. Ibuprofen had no effect at concentrations up to 500 microM. In contrast, DAPT and LY-411575 potently and completely inhibited Abeta(1-40), Abeta(1-42), and Abeta(1-38) in the absence of cytotoxicity. The divergence of the present data from published reports raises the need to examine the conditions necessary to perceive selective Abeta(1-42) reduction by NSAIDs in neuronal tissue.

Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and COX-1 Potentiate β-Amyloid Peptide Generation through Mechanisms That Involve γ-Secretase Activity

In previous studies we found that overexpression of the inducible form of cyclooxygenase, COX-2, in the brain exacerbated beta-amyloid (A beta) neuropathology in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. To explore the mechanism through which COX may influence A beta amyloidosis, we used an adenoviral gene transfer system to study the effects of human (h)COX-1 and hCOX-2 isoform expression on A beta peptide generation. We found that expression of hCOXs in human amyloid precursor protein (APP)-overexpressing (Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-APPswe) cells or human neuroglioma (H4-APP751) cells resulting in 10-25 nM prostaglandin (PG)-E2 concentration in the conditioned medium coincided with an approximately 1.8-fold elevation of A beta-(1-40) and A beta-(1-42) peptide generation and an approximately 1.8-fold induction of the C-terminal fragment (CTF)-gamma cleavage product of the APP, an index of gamma-secretase activity. Treatment of APP-overexpressing cells with the non-selective COX inhibitor ibuprofen (1 microM, 48 h) or with the specific gamma-secretase inhibitor L-685,458 significantly attenuated hCOX-1- and hCOX-2-mediated induction of A beta peptide generation and CTF-gamma cleavage product formation. Based on this evidence, we next tested the hypothesis that COX expression might promote A beta peptide generation via a PG-E2-mediated mechanism. We found that exposure of CHO-APPswe or human embryonic kidney (HEK-APPswe) cells to PG-E2 (11-deoxy-PG-E2) at a concentration (10 nM) within the range of PG-E2 found in hCOX-expressing cells similarly promoted (approximately 1.8-fold) the generation of the CTF-gamma cleavage product of APP and commensurate A beta-(1-40) and A beta-(1-42) peptide elevation. The study suggests that expression of COXs may influence A beta peptide generation through mechanisms that involve PG-E2-mediated potentiation of gamma-secretase activity, further supporting a role for COX-2 and COX-1 in Alzheimer's disease neuropathology.