Hippocampal disruptions of synaptic and astrocyte metabolism are primary events of early amyloid pathology in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an unremitting neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and gradual decline in cognitive function. Changes in brain energy metabolism arise in the preclinical phase of AD, suggesting an important metabolic component of early AD pathology. Neurons and astrocytes function in close metabolic collaboration, which is essential for the recycling of neurotransmitters in the synapse. However, this crucial metabolic interplay during the early stages of AD development has not been sufficiently investigated. Here, we provide an integrative analysis of cellular metabolism during the early stages of Aβ accumulation in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the 5xFAD mouse model of AD. Our electrophysiological examination revealed an increase in spontaneous excitatory signaling in the 5xFAD hippocampus. This hyperactive neuronal phenotype coincided with decreased hippocampal tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolism mapped by stable ¹³C isotope tracing. Particularly, reduced astrocyte TCA cycle activity and decreased glutamine synthesis led to hampered neuronal GABA synthesis in the 5xFAD hippocampus. In contrast, the cerebral cortex of 5xFAD mice displayed an elevated capacity for oxidative glucose metabolism, which may suggest a metabolic compensation in this brain region. We found limited changes when we explored the brain proteome and metabolome of the 5xFAD mice, supporting that the functional metabolic disturbances between neurons and astrocytes are early primary events in AD pathology. In addition, synaptic mitochondrial and glycolytic function was selectively impaired in the 5xFAD hippocampus, whereas non-synaptic mitochondrial function was maintained. These findings were supported by ultrastructural analyses demonstrating disruptions in mitochondrial morphology, particularly in the 5xFAD hippocampus. Collectively, our study reveals complex regional and cell-specific metabolic adaptations in the early stages of amyloid pathology, which may be fundamental for the progressing synaptic dysfunctions in AD.

Pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial soluble adenylyl cyclase in astrocytes causes activation of AMP-activated protein kinase and induces breakdown of glycogen

Mobilization of astrocyte glycogen is key for processes such as synaptic plasticity and memory formation but the link between neuronal activity and glycogen breakdown is not fully known. Activation of cytosolic soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) in astrocytes has been suggested to link neuronal depolarization and glycogen breakdown partly based on experiments employing pharmacological inhibition of sAC. However, several studies have revealed that sAC located within mitochondria is a central regulator of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, pharmacological sAC inhibition is likely to affect both cytosolic and mitochondrial sAC and if bioenergetic readouts are studied, the observed effects are likely to stem from inhibition of mitochondrial rather than cytosolic sAC. Here, we report that a pharmacologically induced inhibition of sAC activity lowers mitochondrial respiration, induces phosphorylation of the metabolic master switch AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and decreases glycogen stores in cultured primary murine astrocytes. From these data and our discussion of the literature, mitochondrial sAC emerges as a key regulator of astrocyte bioenergetics. Lastly, we discuss the challenges of investigating the functional and metabolic roles of cytosolic versus mitochondrial sAC in astrocytes employing the currently available pharmacological tool compounds.

Deficient astrocyte metabolism impairs glutamine synthesis and neurotransmitter homeostasis in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) leads to cerebral accumulation of insoluble amyloid-β plaques causing synaptic dysfunction and neuronal death. Neurons rely on astrocyte-derived glutamine for replenishment of the amino acid neurotransmitter pools. Perturbations of astrocyte glutamine synthesis have been described in AD, but whether this functionally affects neuronal neurotransmitter synthesis is not known. Since the synthesis and recycling of neurotransmitter glutamate and GABA are intimately coupled to cellular metabolism, the aim of this study was to provide a functional investigation of neuronal and astrocytic energy and neurotransmitter metabolism in AD. To achieve this, we incubated acutely isolated cerebral cortical and hippocampal slices from 8-month-old female 5xFAD mice, in the presence of ¹³C isotopically enriched substrates, with subsequent gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. A prominent neuronal hypometabolism of [U-¹³C]glucose was observed in the hippocampal slices of the 5xFAD mice. Investigating astrocyte metabolism, using [1,2-¹³C]acetate, revealed a marked reduction in glutamine synthesis, which directly hampered neuronal synthesis of GABA. This was supported by an increased metabolism of exogenously supplied [U-¹³C]glutamine, suggesting a neuronal metabolic compensation of the reduced astrocytic glutamine supply. In contrast, astrocytic metabolism of [U-¹³C]GABA was reduced, whereas [U-¹³C]glutamate metabolism was unaffected. Finally, astrocyte de novo synthesis of glutamate and glutamine was hampered, whereas the enzymatic capacity of glutamine synthetase for ammonia fixation was maintained. Collectively, we demonstrate that deficient astrocyte metabolism leads to reduced glutamine synthesis, directly impairing neuronal GABA synthesis in the 5xFAD brain. These findings suggest that astrocyte metabolic dysfunction may be fundamental for the imbalances of synaptic excitation and inhibition in the AD brain.

Glutamate dehydrogenase is essential to sustain neuronal oxidative energy metabolism during stimulation

The enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; Glud1) catalyzes the (reversible) oxidative deamination of glutamate to α-ketoglutarate accompanied by a reduction of NAD⁺ to NADH. GDH connects amino acid, carbohydrate, neurotransmitter and oxidative energy metabolism. Glutamine is a neurotransmitter precursor used by neurons to sustain the pool of glutamate, but glutamine is also vividly oxidized for support of energy metabolism. This study investigates the role of GDH in neuronal metabolism by employing the Cns- Glud1^-/- mouse, lacking GDH in the brain (GDH KO) and metabolic mapping using ¹³C-labelled glutamine and glucose. We observed a severely reduced oxidative glutamine metabolism during glucose deprivation in synaptosomes and cultured neurons not expressing GDH. In contrast, in the presence of glucose, glutamine metabolism was not affected by the lack of GDH expression. Respiration fuelled by glutamate was significantly lower in brain mitochondria from GDH KO mice and synaptosomes were not able to increase their respiration upon an elevated energy demand. The role of GDH for metabolism of glutamine and the respiratory capacity underscore the importance of GDH for neurons particularly during an elevated energy demand, and it may reflect the large allosteric activation of GDH by ADP.

Exploring the antigenic response to multiplexed immunizations in a chicken model of antibody production

Hens have a tremendous capacity for producing polyclonal antibodies that can subsequently be isolated in high concentrations from their eggs. An approach for further maximizing their potential is to produce multiple antisera in the same individual through multiplexed (multiple simultaneous) immunizations. An unknown with this approach is how many immunogens a single bird is capable of mounting a sizeable antigenic response toward. At what point does it become counter-productive to add more immunogens to the same immunization regimen?

In the present study we were able to demonstrate that the competing effects of co-administering multiple immunogens effectively limit the antibody specificities that can be raised in a single individual to a fairly low number. Two potent model immunogens, KLH and CRM₁₉₇, were administered together with competing antigens in various concentrations and complexities. With an upper limit of 1 mg protein material recommended for chicken immunizations, we found that the maximum number of immunogens that can be reliably used is most likely in the low double digits.

The limiting factor for a response to an immunogen could not be related to the number of splenic plasma cells producing antibodies against it. When administering KLH alone, up to 70% of the IgY-producing splenic plasma cells were occupied with producing anti-KLH antibodies; but when simultaneously being exposed to a plethora of other antigens, a response of a comparable magnitude could be mounted with a splenic plasma cell involvement of less than 5%.

Two breeds of egg-layers were compared with respect to antibody production in an initial experiment, but differences in antibody productivity were negligible.

Although our findings support the use of multiplexed immunizations in the hen, we find that the number of immunogens cannot be stretched much higher than the handful that has been used in mammalian models to date.

Improved cerebral energetics and ketone body metabolism in db/db mice

It is becoming evident that type 2 diabetes mellitus is affecting brain energy metabolism. The importance of alternative substrates for the brain in type 2 diabetes mellitus is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether ketone bodies are relevant candidates to compensate for cerebral glucose hypometabolism and unravel the functionality of cerebral mitochondria in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Acutely isolated cerebral cortical and hippocampal slices of db/db mice were incubated in media containing [U-¹³C]glucose, [1,2-¹³C]acetate or [U-¹³C]β-hydroxybutyrate and tissue extracts were analysed by mass spectrometry. Oxygen consumption and ATP synthesis of brain mitochondria of db/db mice were assessed by Seahorse XFe96 and luciferin-luciferase assay, respectively. Glucose hypometabolism was observed for both cerebral cortical and hippocampal slices of db/db mice. Significant increased metabolism of [1,2-¹³C]acetate and [U-¹³C]β-hydroxybutyrate was observed for hippocampal slices of db/db mice. Furthermore, brain mitochondria of db/db mice exhibited elevated oxygen consumption and ATP synthesis rate. This study provides evidence of several changes in brain energy metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The increased hippocampal ketone body utilization and improved mitochondrial function in db/db mice, may act as adaptive mechanisms in order to maintain cerebral energetics during hampered glucose metabolism.

Alterations in Cerebral Cortical Glucose and Glutamine Metabolism Precedes Amyloid Plaques in the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Alterations in brain energy metabolism have been suggested to be of fundamental importance for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, specific changes in brain energetics in the early stages of AD are poorly known. The aim of this study was to investigate cerebral energy metabolism in the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mouse prior to amyloid plaque formation. Acutely isolated cerebral cortical and hippocampal slices of 3-month-old APPswe/PSEN1dE9 and wild-type control mice were incubated in media containing [U-¹³C]glucose, [1,2-¹³C]acetate or [U-¹³C]glutamine, and tissue extracts were analyzed by mass spectrometry. The ATP synthesis rate of isolated whole-brain mitochondria was assessed by an on-line luciferin-luciferase assay. Significantly increased ¹³C labeling of intracellular lactate and alanine and decreased tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity were observed from cerebral cortical slices of APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mice incubated in media containing [U-¹³C]glucose. No changes in glial [1,2-¹³C]acetate metabolism were observed. Cerebral cortical slices from APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mice exhibited a reduced capacity for uptake and oxidative metabolism of glutamine. Furthermore, the ATP synthesis rate tended to be decreased in isolated whole-brain mitochondria of APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mice. Thus, several cerebral metabolic changes are evident in the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mouse prior to amyloid plaque deposition, including altered glucose metabolism, hampered glutamine processing and mitochondrial dysfunctions.

SorLA complement-type repeat domains protect the amyloid precursor protein against processing

SorLA is a neuronal sorting receptor that is genetically associated with Alzheimer disease. SorLA interacts directly with the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and affects the processing of the precursor, leading to a decreased generation of the amyloid-β peptide. The SorLA complement-type repeat (CR) domains associate in vitro with APP, but the precise molecular determinants of SorLA·APP complex formation and the mechanisms responsible for the effect of binding on APP processing have not yet been elucidated. Here, we have generated protein expression constructs for SorLA devoid of the 11 CR-domains and for two SorLA mutants harboring substitutions of the fingerprint residues in the central CR-domains. We generated SH-SY5Y cell lines that stably express these SorLA variants to study the binding and processing of APP using co-immunoprecipitation and Western blotting/ELISAs, respectively. We found that the SorLA CR-cluster is essential for interaction with APP and that deletion of the CR-cluster abolishes the protection against APP processing. Mutation of identified fingerprint residues in the SorLA CR-domains leads to changes in the O-linked glycosylation of APP when expressed in SH-SY5Y cells. Our results provide novel information on the mechanisms behind the influence of SorLA activity on APP metabolism by controlling post-translational glycosylation in the Golgi, suggesting new strategies against amyloidogenesis in Alzheimer disease.

RelE, a global inhibitor of translation, is activated during nutritional stress

The stringent response is defined as the physiological changes elicited by amino acid starvation. Many of these changes depend on the regulatory nucleotide ppGpp (guanosine tetraphosphate) synthesized by RelA (ppGpp synthetase I), the relA-encoded protein. The second rel locus of Escherichia coli is called relBE and encodes RelE cytotoxin and RelB antitoxin. RelB counteracts the toxic effect of RelE. In addition, RelB is an autorepressor of relBE transcription. Here we reveal a ppGpp-independent mechanism that reduces the level of translation during amino acid starvation. Artificial overexpression of RelE severely inhibited translation. During amino acid starvation, the presence of relBE caused a significant reduction in the poststarvation level of translation. Concomitantly, relBE transcription was rapidly and strongly induced. Induction of transcription occurred independently of relA and spoT (encoding ppGpp synthetase II), but instead depended on Lon protease. Consistently, Lon was required for degradation of RelB. Replacement of the relBE promoter with a LacI-regulated promoter indicated that strong and ongoing transcription of relBE is required to maintain a proper RelB:RelE ratio during starvation. Thus relBE may be regarded as a previously uncharacterized type of stress-response element that reduces the global level of translation during nutritional stress.

A role for flavin monooxygenase-like enzymes in auxin biosynthesis

Although auxin is known to regulate many processes in plant development and has been studied for over a century, the mechanisms whereby plants produce it have remained elusive. Here we report the characterization of a dominant Arabidopsis mutant, yucca, which contains elevated levels of free auxin. YUCCA encodes a flavin monooxygenase-like enzyme and belongs to a family that includes at least nine other homologous Arabidopsis genes, a subset of which appears to have redundant functions. Results from tryptophan analog feeding experiments and biochemical assays indicate that YUCCA catalyzes hydroxylation of the amino group of tryptamine, a rate-limiting step in tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis.

Activation tagging in Arabidopsis

Activation tagging using T-DNA vectors that contain multimerized transcriptional enhancers from the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S gene has been applied to Arabidopsis plants. New activation-tagging vectors that confer resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin or the herbicide glufosinate have been used to generate several tens of thousands of transformed plants. From these, over 30 dominant mutants with various phenotypes have been isolated. Analysis of a subset of mutants has shown that overexpressed genes are almost always found immediately adjacent to the inserted CaMV 35S enhancers, at distances ranging from 380 bp to 3.6 kb. In at least one case, the CaMV 35S enhancers led primarily to an enhancement of the endogenous expression pattern rather than to constitutive ectopic expression, suggesting that the CaMV 35S enhancers used here act differently than the complete CaMV 35S promoter. This has important implications for the spectrum of genes that will be discovered by this method.

Regulation of auxin response by the protein kinase PINOID

Arabidopsis plants carrying mutations in the PINOID (PID) gene have a pleiotropic shoot phenotype that mimics that of plants grown on auxin transport inhibitors or of plants mutant for the auxin efflux carrier PINFORMED (PIN), with defects in the formation of cotyledons, flowers, and floral organs. We have cloned PID and find that it is transiently expressed in the embryo and in initiating floral anlagen, demonstrating a specific role for PID in promoting primordium development. Constitutive expression of PID causes a phenotype in both shoots and roots that is similar to that of auxin-insensitive plants, implying that PID, which encodes a serine-threonine protein kinase, negatively regulates auxin signaling.

Activation tagging of the floral inducer FT

FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), which acts in parallel with the meristem-identity gene LEAFY (LFY) to induce flowering of Arabidopsis, was isolated by activation tagging. Like LFY, FT acts partially downstream of CONSTANS (CO), which promotes flowering in response to long days. Unlike many other floral regulators, the deduced sequence of the FT protein does not suggest that it directly controls transcription or transcript processing. Instead, it is similar to the sequence of TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1), an inhibitor of flowering that also shares sequence similarity with membrane-associated mammalian proteins.

Activation tagging of the floral inducer FT

FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), which acts in parallel with the meristem-identity gene LEAFY (LFY) to induce flowering of Arabidopsis, was isolated by activation tagging. Like LFY, FT acts partially downstream of CONSTANS (CO), which promotes flowering in response to long days. Unlike many other floral regulators, the deduced sequence of the FT protein does not suggest that it directly controls transcription or transcript processing. Instead, it is similar to the sequence of TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1), an inhibitor of flowering that also shares sequence similarity with membrane-associated mammalian proteins.

[Cerebral blood flow and indomethacin. The effect of different doses administered as continuous intravenous infusions or as suppositories in healthy adults]

Administration of indomethacin may aid treatment of intracranial hypertension, and the present study was conducted to determine the optimal dose. In healthy volunteers, cerebral blood flow (CBF) has been shown to decrease considerably after a bolus dose of indomethacin, 0.4 mg/kg, followed by continuous infusion, 0.4 mg/kg/h. This decrease was sustained for 6 h without any evidence of adaptation. In a randomized study in healthy volunteers, indomethacin, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg, was given as bolus, followed by continuous infusion of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg/h. CBF decreased from normal levels (52-74 ml/100 mg/min) to 38-51 ml/100 g/min. There were no differences among the three groups in CBF reduction, and the reduction was sustained during the 6-h infusion period. Rectal application of 100 mg indomethacin was found to reduce CBF from normal levels (54-74 ml/100 mg/min) to 33-48 ml/100 mg/min. These low levels were only sustained for 2 h, and values returned to normal over the next 6 h. We observed no rebound phenomenon 2 h after stopping the infusion and no rebound after 100 mg of rectally applied indomethacin. Since a dose as low as 0.1 mg/kg/h is effective, it is possible to treat most patient in a 24-h schedule without going over maximum recommended doses.

C6-C10-dicarboxylic aciduria: investigations of a patient with riboflavin responsive multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenation defects

The abnormal metabolites-adipic, suberic, and sebacic acids-were detected in large amounts in the urine of a boy during a Reye's syndrome-like crisis. Substantial amounts of 5-OH-caproic acid, caproylglycine, glutaric acid, and 3-OH-butyric acid and moderately elevated amounts of ethylmalonic acid, methylsuccinic acid, 3-OH-isovaleric acid, and isovalerylglycine were also found. These metabolites were consistently present in urine samples collected in the boy's habitual condition after the attack. 1-[14C]-Palmitic acid was oxidized at a normal rate, whereas U-[14C]-Palmitic acid was oxidized at a reduced rate in cultured skin fibroblasts from the patient, thus indicating a defect at the level of medium- and/or short-chain fatty acid oxidation. Riboflavin medication (100 mg three times a day) significantly reduced the excreted amounts of pathologic metabolites, suggesting a flavineadeninedinucleotide-related acyl-CoA dehydrogenation defect as the cause of the disease. Carnitine in plasma was low in the patient (6 mumole/liter, controls 26-74 mumole/liter), suggesting carnitine deficiency as a secondary effect of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenation deficiency. The present patient, who presented with a Reye's syndrome-like attack, suffers from impaired dehydrogenation of acyl-CoA resulting in accumulation of acyl-CoA in the cells. Attacks with similar symptoms are seen in other acyl-CoA dehydrogenation deficiencies, such as glutaric aciduria types I and II, other types of C6-C10-dicarboxylic acidurias and isovaleric acidemia. Reduced flow through the acyl-CoA dehydrogenation steps may therefore be an ethiologic factor in Reye's syndrome. Several of the accumulated acyl-CoA's are toxic and may be responsible for some of the symptoms. The low carnitine level in plasma and the elevated esterified carnitine excretion in the present patient indicate that acyl-CoA accumulation may cause a functional carnitine deficiency by sequestration of carnitine as acyl-carnitines. As the inborn defect, systemic carnitine deficiency may exhibit symptoms like those of Reye's syndrome, it may be speculated whether functional carnitine deficiency in patients with accumulated acyl-CoA is another causal factor in the development of the symptoms during attacks.