In vivo evidence of CHIP up-regulation attenuating tau aggregation

The carboxyl terminus of heat-shock cognate (Hsc)70-interacting protein (CHIP) is a ubiquitin E3 ligase that can collaborate with molecular chaperones to facilitate protein folding and prevent protein aggregation. Previous studies showed that, together with heat-shock protein (Hsp)70, CHIP can regulate tau ubiquitination and degradation in a cell culture system. Ubiquitinated tau is one component in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are a major histopathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the precise sequence of events leading to NFT formation and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. To confirm CHIP's role in suppressing NFT formation in vivo, we performed a quantitative analysis of CHIP in human and mouse brains. We found increased levels of CHIP and Hsp70 in AD compared with normal controls. CHIP levels in both AD and controls corresponded directly to Hsp90 levels, but not to Hsp70 or Hsc70 levels. In AD samples, CHIP was inversely proportional to sarkosyl-insoluble tau accumulation. In a JNPL3 mouse brain tauopathy model, CHIP was widely distributed but weakly expressed in spinal cord, which was the most prominent region for tau inclusions and neuronal loss. Protein levels of CHIP in cerebellar regions of JNPL3 mice were significantly higher than in non-transgenic littermates. Human tau was more highly expressed in this region of mouse brains, but only moderate levels of sarkosyl-insoluble tau were detected. This was confirmed when increased insoluble tau accumulation was found in mice lacking CHIP. These findings suggest that increases in CHIP may protect against NFT formation in the early stages of AD. If confirmed, this would indicate that the quality-control machinery in a neuron might play an important role in retarding the pathogenesis of tauopathies.     

A novel calcium-binding protein is associated with tau proteins in tauopathy

Tauopathies are a group of neurological disorders characterized by the presence of intraneuronal hyperphosphorylated and filamentous tau. Mutations in the tau gene have been found in kindred with tauopathy. The expression of the human tau mutant in transgenic mice induced neurodegeneration, indicating that tau plays a central pathological role. However, the molecular mechanism leading to tau-mediated neurodegeneration is poorly understood. To gain insights into the role that tau plays in neurodegeneration, human tau proteins were immunoprecipitated from brain lysates of the tauopathy mouse model JNPL3, which develops neurodegeneration in age-dependent manner. In the present work, a novel EF-hand domain-containing protein was found associated with tau proteins in brain lysate of 12-month-old JNPL3 mice. The association between tau proteins and the novel identified protein appears to be induced by the neurodegeneration process as these two proteins were not found associated in young JNPL3 mice. Consistently, the novel protein co-purified with the pathological sarkosyl insoluble tau in terminally ill JNPL3 mice. Calcium-binding assays demonstrated that this protein binds calcium effectively. Finally, the association between tau and the novel calcium-binding protein is conserved in human and enriched in Alzheimer's disease brain. Taken together, the identification of a novel calcium-binding protein associated with tau protein in terminally ill tauopathy mouse model and its confirmation in human brain lysate suggests that this association may play an important physiological and/or pathological role.     

In Vivo Turnover of Tau and APP Metabolites in the Brains of Wild-Type and Tg2576 Mice: Greater Stability of sAPP in the β-Amyloid Depositing Mice

The metabolism of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tau are central to the pathobiology of Alzheimer''s disease (AD). We have examined the in vivo turnover of APP, secreted APP (sAPP), Aβ and tau in the wild-type and Tg2576 mouse brain using cycloheximide to block protein synthesis. In spite of overexpression of APP in the Tg2576 mouse, APP is rapidly degraded, similar to the rapid turnover of the endogenous protein in the wild-type mouse. sAPP is cleared from the brain more slowly, particularly in the Tg2576 model where the half-life of both the endogenous murine and transgene-derived human sAPP is nearly doubled compared to wild-type mice. The important Aβ degrading enzymes neprilysin and IDE were found to be highly stable in the brain, and soluble Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels in both wild-type and Tg2576 mice rapidly declined following the depletion of APP. The cytoskeletal-associated protein tau was found to be highly stable in both wild-type and Tg2576 mice. Our findings unexpectedly show that of these various AD-relevant protein metabolites, sAPP turnover in the brain is the most different when comparing a wild-type mouse and a β-amyloid depositing, APP overexpressing transgenic model. Given the neurotrophic roles attributed to sAPP, the enhanced stability of sAPP in the β-amyloid depositing Tg2576 mice may represent a neuroprotective response.     

Aggregation of detergent-insoluble tau is involved in neuronal loss but not in synaptic loss

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which consist of highly phosphorylated tau, are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer disease (AD). In neurodegenerative diseases, neuronal dysfunction due to neuronal loss and synaptic loss accompanies NFT formation, suggesting that a process associated with NFT formation may be involved in neuronal dysfunction. To clarify the relationship between the tau aggregation process and synapse and neuronal loss, we compared two lines of mice expressing human tau with or without an aggregation-prone P301L mutation. P301L tau transgenic (Tg) mice exhibited neuronal loss and produced sarcosyl-insoluble tau in old age but did not exhibit synaptic loss and memory impairment. By contrast, wild-type tau Tg mice neither exhibited neuronal loss nor produced sarcosyl-insoluble tau but did exhibit synaptic loss and memory impairment. Moreover, P301L tau was less phosphorylated than wild-type tau, suggesting that the tau phosphorylation state is involved in synaptic loss, whereas the tau aggregation state is involved in neuronal loss. Finally, increasing concentrations of insoluble tau aggregates leads to the formation of fibrillar tau, which causes NFTs to form.     

Assembly of tau in transgenic animals expressing P301L tau: alteration of phosphorylation and solubility

Transgenic mice (JNPL3), which develop neurofibrillary degeneration and express four-repeat human tau with P301L missense mutation, were characterized biochemically to determine whether the development of aggregated tau from soluble tau involves an intermediate stage. Homogenates from mice of different ages were separated into buffer-soluble (S1), sarkosyl- and salt-extractable (S2) and sarkosyl-insoluble pellet (P3) fractions, and analyzed for human tau distribution, phosphorylation and filament formation. S1 and S2 fractions contained 50-60-kDa tau whereas the S2 fraction also had 64-kDa tau. The level of tau in the P3 fraction increased in an age-dependent manner and correlated positively with the soluble tau concentration. The P3 fraction from 2.5-6.5-month-old mice contained 64- and 50-60-kDa tau, whereas that from 8.5-month and older transgenic animals contained mostly 64-kDa and higher molecular weight tau. The S2 and P3 fractions contained comparable amounts of 64-kDa tau. The 64-kDa tau was predominantly human, and phosphorylated at multiple sites: Thr181, Ser202/Thr205, Thr212, Thr231, Ser262, Ser396/Ser404, Ser409 and Ser422. Most of these sites were phosphorylated to a lesser extent in S2 than in P3 fractions. Tau polymers were detected in P3 fractions from 3-month and older female JNPL3 mice, but not in non-transgenic controls. The results suggest that tau in S2 represents an intermediate from which insoluble tau is derived, and that phosphorylation may play a role in filament formation and/or stabilization.     

Tau pathology reduction with SM07883, a novel,potent, and selective oral DYRK1A inhibitor: A potential therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease

Dual‐specificity tyrosine phosphorylation‐regulated kinase‐1A (DYRK1A) is known to phosphorylate the microtubule‐associated tau protein. Overexpression is correlated with tau hyperphosphorylation and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) formation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study assessed the potential of SM07883, an oral DYRK1A inhibitor, to inhibit tau hyperphosphorylation, aggregation, NFT formation, and associated phenotypes in mouse models. Exploratory neuroinflammatory effects were also studied. SM07883 specificity was tested in a kinase panel screen and showed potent inhibition of DYRK1A (IC₅₀ = 1.6 nM) and GSK‐3β (IC₅₀ = 10.8 nM) kinase activity. Tau phosphorylation measured in cell‐based assays showed a reduction in phosphorylation of multiple tau epitopes, especially the threonine 212 site (EC₅₀ = 16 nM). SM07883 showed good oral bioavailability in multiple species and demonstrated a dose‐dependent reduction of transient hypothermia‐induced phosphorylated tau in the brains of wild‐type mice compared to vehicle (47%, p < 0.001). Long‐term efficacy assessed in aged JNPL3 mice overexpressing the P301L human tau mutation (3 mg/kg, QD, for 3 months) exhibited significant reductions in tau hyperphosphorylation, oligomeric and aggregated tau, and tau‐positive inclusions compared to vehicle in brainstem and spinal cord samples. Reduced gliosis compared to vehicle was further confirmed by ELISA. SM07883 was well tolerated with improved general health, weight gain, and functional improvement in a wire‐hang test compared to vehicle‐treated mice (p = 0.048). SM07883, a potent, orally bioavailable, brain‐penetrant DYRK1A inhibitor, significantly reduced effects of pathological tau overexpression and neuroinflammation, while functional endpoints were improved compared to vehicle in animal models. This small molecule has potential as a treatment for AD.     

Profiling proteins related to amyloid deposited brain of Tg2576 mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the extracellular deposition of beta-amyloid and intracellular hyperphosphorylation of tau in the cortex and hippocampus of the brain. These characterizations are caused by abnormal expression, modification and deposition of certain proteins. Post-translational modifications of proteins including oxidation and nitration might be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. In this study, AD-related proteins were identified in the cortex of Tg2576 mice used as a model for studying AD. Tg2576 mice express high levels of the Swedish mutated form of human beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and generated high levels of beta-amyloid in the brains. Using Western blotting and two-dimensional electrophoresis, proteins with differences in expression, oxidation and nitration in the cortex of Tg2576 mice brains were compared to littermate mice brains used as a control. The proteins with different expression levels were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analyses. As a result, 12 proteins were identified among 37 different proteins using the PDQuest program. Furthermore, two proteins, laminin receptor and alpha-enolase, were more susceptible to oxidative modification in the brains of Tg2576 mice compared to those of littermates. Similarly, alpha-enolase, calpain 12, and Atp5b were more modified by nitration in brains of Tg2576 mice than those of littermates. Taken together, these proteins and their modifications may play an important role in the plaque deposition of Tg2576 mice brains.     

EFhd2 is a novel amyloid protein associated with pathological tau in Alzheimer's disease

EFhd2 is a conserved calcium‐binding protein, abundant within the central nervous system. Previous studies identified EFhd2 associated with pathological forms of tau proteins in the tauopathy mouse model JNPL3, which expresses the human tau^P301L mutant. This association was validated in human tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the role that EFhd2 may play in tauopathies is still unknown. Here, we show that EFhd2 formed amyloid structures in vitro, a capability that is reduced by calcium ions. Electron microscopy (EM) analyses demonstrated that recombinant EFhd2 formed filamentous structures. EM analyses of sarkosyl‐insoluble fractions derived from human AD brains also indicated that EFhd2 co‐localizes with aggregated tau proteins and formed granular structures. Immunohistological analyses of brain slices demonstrated that EFhd2 co‐localizes with pathological tau proteins in AD brains, confirming the co‐aggregation of EFhd2 and pathological tau. Furthermore, EFhd2's coiled‐coil domain mediated its self‐oligomerization in vitro and its association with tau proteins in JNPL3 mouse brain extracts. The results demonstrate that EFhd2 is a novel amyloid protein associated with pathological tau proteins in AD brain and that calcium binding may regulate the formation of EFhd2's amyloid structures. Hence, EFhd2 may play an important role in the pathobiology of tau‐mediated neurodegeneration.     

Kinase activities increase during the development of tauopathy in htau mice

Hyperphosphorylated tau aggregates are the core constituent of neurofibrillary tangles. Recent research has shown a division between the presence of tangles, neurodegeneration and subsequent memory impairment, raising the possibility that an earlier pre-aggregated form of tau may be toxic. To gain further insight into the relationship between abnormal forms of tau, we have analyzed pathological changes in tau during tauopathy development in tangle-forming transgenic mice. In addition, we have quantified changes in the endogenous levels of a panel of protein kinases. We show progressive increases in aggregated tau and disease-specific conformational change, with hyperphosphorylation occurring in an age-dependent manner at specific sites. There were significant correlations between specific phosphorylation changes and amounts of aggregated tau and and abnormal tau conformations. Of the protein kinases tested, we found increases in phosphorylated (activated) p38 and the cyclin-dependent kinase-5 neuronal activators, p35 and p25, with aging, in the htau line, but not in non-tangle-forming control mice. Changes in tau kinases correlated with the amount of tau present in abnormal conformations and with insoluble tau in htau mice. These data suggest that cdk5 and p38 may be associated with pathological changes in wild-type human tau during the progressive development of tauopathy.     

Early Onset of Hypersynchronous Network Activity and Expression of a Marker of Chronic Seizures in the Tg2576 Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Cortical and hippocampal hypersynchrony of neuronal networks seems to be an early event in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. Many mouse models of the disease also present neuronal network hypersynchrony, as evidenced by higher susceptibility to pharmacologically-induced seizures, electroencephalographic seizures accompanied by spontaneous interictal spikes and expression of markers of chronic seizures such as neuropeptide Y ectopic expression in mossy fibers. This network hypersynchrony is thought to contribute to memory deficits, but whether it precedes the onset of memory deficits or not in mouse models remains unknown. The earliest memory impairments in the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease have been observed at 3 months of age. We thus assessed network hypersynchrony in Tg2576 and non-transgenic male mice at 1.5, 3 and 6 months of age. As soon as 1.5 months of age, Tg2576 mice presented higher seizure susceptibility to systemic injection of a GABA_A receptor antagonist. They also displayed spontaneous interictal spikes on EEG recordings. Some Tg2576 mice presented hippocampal ectopic expression of neuropeptide Y which incidence seems to increase with age among the Tg2576 population. Our data reveal that network hypersynchrony appears very early in Tg2576 mice, before any demonstrated memory impairments.     

Deletion of Irs2 reduces amyloid deposition and rescues behavioural deficits in APP transgenic mice

As impaired insulin signalling (IIS) is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease we crossed mice (Tg2576) over-expressing human amyloid precursor protein (APP), with insulin receptor substrate 2 null (Irs2^−/−) mice which develop insulin resistance. The resulting Tg2576/Irs2^−/− animals had increased tau phosphorylation but a paradoxical amelioration of Aβ pathology. An increase of the Aβ binding protein transthyretin suggests that increased clearance of Aβ underlies the reduction in plaques. Increased tau phosphorylation correlated with reduced tau-phosphatase PP2A, despite an inhibition of the tau-kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3. Our findings demonstrate that disruption of IIS in Tg2576 mice has divergent effects on pathological processes—a reduction in aggregated Aβ but an increase in tau phosphorylation. However, as these effects are accompanied by improvement in behavioural deficits, our findings suggest a novel protective effect of disrupting IRS2 signalling in AD which may be a useful therapeutic strategy for this condition.     

Suppression of amyloid beta A11 antibody immunoreactivity by vitamin C: possible role of heparan sulfate oligosaccharides derived from glypican-1 by ascorbate-induced, nitric oxide (NO)-catalyzed degradation

Amyloid β (Aβ) is generated from the copper- and heparan sulfate (HS)-binding amyloid precursor protein (APP) by proteolytic processing. APP supports S-nitrosylation of the HS proteoglycan glypican-1 (Gpc-1). In the presence of ascorbate, there is NO-catalyzed release of anhydromannose (anMan)-containing oligosaccharides from Gpc-1-nitrosothiol. We investigated whether these oligosaccharides interact with Aβ during APP processing and plaque formation. anMan immunoreactivity was detected in amyloid plaques of Alzheimer (AD) and APP transgenic (Tg2576) mouse brains by immunofluorescence microscopy. APP/APP degradation products detected by antibodies to the C terminus of APP, but not Aβ oligomers detected by the anti-Aβ A11 antibody, colocalized with anMan immunoreactivity in Tg2576 fibroblasts. A 50-55-kDa anionic, sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable, anMan- and Aβ-immunoreactive species was obtained from Tg2576 fibroblasts using immunoprecipitation with anti-APP (C terminus). anMan-containing HS oligo- and disaccharide preparations modulated or suppressed A11 immunoreactivity and oligomerization of Aβ42 peptide in an in vitro assay. A11 immunoreactivity increased in Tg2576 fibroblasts when Gpc-1 autoprocessing was inhibited by 3-β[2(diethylamino)ethoxy]androst-5-en-17-one (U18666A) and decreased when Gpc-1 autoprocessing was stimulated by ascorbate. Neither overexpression of Gpc-1 in Tg2576 fibroblasts nor addition of copper ion and NO donor to hippocampal slices from 3xTg-AD mice affected A11 immunoreactivity levels. However, A11 immunoreactivity was greatly suppressed by the subsequent addition of ascorbate. We speculate that temporary interaction between the Aβ domain and small, anMan-containing oligosaccharides may preclude formation of toxic Aβ oligomers. A portion of the oligosaccharides are co-secreted with the Aβ peptides and deposited in plaques. These results support the notion that an inadequate supply of vitamin C could contribute to late onset AD in humans.     

Nonhuman Amyloid Oligomer Epitope Reduces Alzheimer’s-Like Neuropathology in 3xTg-AD Transgenic Mice

Accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) is an important pathological event in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is now well known that vaccination against fibrillar Aβ prevents amyloid accumulation and preserves cognitive function in transgenic mouse models. To study the effect of vaccination against generic oligomer epitopes, Aβ oligomers, islet amyloid polypeptide oligomers, random peptide oligomer (3A), and Aβ fibrils were used to vaccinate 3xTg-AD, which develop a progressive accumulation of plaques and cognitive impairment. Subcutaneous administration of these antigens markedly reduced total plaque load (Aβ burden) and improved cognitive function in the 3xTg-AD mouse brains as compared to controls. We demonstrated that vaccination with this nonhuman amyloid oligomer generated high titers of specifically antibodies recognizing Aβ oligomers, which in turn inhibited accumulation of Aβ pathology in mice. In addition to amyloid plaques, another hallmark of AD is tau pathology. It was found that there was a significant decline in the level of hyper-phosphorylated tau following vaccination. We have previously shown that immunization with 3A peptide improves cognitive function and clears amyloid plaques in Tg2576 mice, which provides a novel strategy of AD therapy. Here, we have shown that vaccination with 3A peptide in 3xTg-AD mice not only clears amyloid plaques but also extensively clears abnormal tau in brain.     

HNK-1 Carrier Glycoproteins Are Decreased in the Alzheimer’s Disease Brain

The human natural killer-1 (HNK-1), 3-sulfonated glucuronic acid, is a glycoepitope marker of cell adhesion that participates in cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions and in neurite growth. Very little is known about the regulation of the HNK-1 glycan in neurodegenerative disease, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, we investigate changes in the levels of HNK-1 carrier glycoproteins in AD. We demonstrate an overall decrease in HNK-1 immunoreactivity in glycoproteins extracted from the frontal cortex of AD subjects, compared with levels from non-demented controls (NDC). Immunoblotting of ventricular post-mortem and lumbar ante-mortem cerebrospinal fluid with HNK-1 antibodies indicate similar levels of carrier glycoproteins in AD and NDC samples. Decrease in HNK-1 carrier glycoproteins were not paralleled by changes in messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of the glycoepitope, β-1,4-galactosyltransferase (β4GalT), glucuronyltransferases GlcAT-P and GlcAT-S, or sulfotransferase HNK-1ST. Over-expression of amyloid precursor protein in Tg2576 transgenic mice and in vitro treatment of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells with the amyloidogenic Aβ42 peptide resulted in a decrease in HNK-1 immunoreactivity levels in brain and cellular extracts, whereas the levels of soluble HNK-1 glycoproteins detected in culture media were not affected by Aβ treatment. HNK-1 levels remain unaffected in the brain extracts of Tg-VLW mice, a model of mutant hyperphosphorylated tau, and in SH-SY5Y cells over-expressing hyperphosphorylated wild-type tau. These results provide evidence that cellular levels of HNK-1 carrier glycoforms are decreased in the brain of AD subjects, probably influenced by the β-amyloid protein.     

p38 kinase is activated in the Alzheimer's disease brain

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase is a stress-activated enzyme responsible for transducing inflammatory signals and initiating apoptosis. In the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, increased levels of phosphorylated (active) p38 were detected relative to age-matched normal brain. Intense phospho-p38 immunoreactivity was associated with neuritic plaques, neuropil threads, and neurofibrillary tangle-bearing neurons. The antibody against phosphorylated p38 recognized many of the same structures as an antibody against aberrantly phosphorylated, paired helical filament (PHF) tau, although PHF-positive tau did not cross-react with the phospho-p38 antibody. These findings suggest a neuroinflammatory mechanism in the AD brain, in which aberrant protein phosphorylation affects signal transduction elements, including the p38 kinase cascade, as well as cytoskeletal components.     

Toxoplasma gondii infection in the brain inhibits neuronal degeneration and learning and memory impairments in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease

Immunosuppression is a characteristic feature of Toxoplasma gondii-infected murine hosts. The present study aimed to determine the effect of the immunosuppression induced by T. gondii infection on the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Tg2576 AD mice. Mice were infected with a cyst-forming strain (ME49) of T. gondii, and levels of inflammatory mediators (IFN-γ and nitric oxide), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β), neuronal damage, and β-amyloid plaque deposition were examined in brain tissues and/or in BV-2 microglial cells. In addition, behavioral tests, including the water maze and Y-maze tests, were performed on T. gondii-infected and uninfected Tg2576 mice. Results revealed that whereas the level of IFN-γ was unchanged, the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines were significantly higher in T. gondii-infected mice than in uninfected mice, and in BV-2 cells treated with T. gondii lysate antigen. Furthermore, nitrite production from primary cultured brain microglial cells and BV-2 cells was reduced by the addition of T. gondii lysate antigen (TLA), and β-amyloid plaque deposition in the cortex and hippocampus of Tg2576 mouse brains was remarkably lower in T. gondii-infected AD mice than in uninfected controls. In addition, water maze and Y-maze test results revealed retarded cognitive capacities in uninfected mice as compared with infected mice. These findings demonstrate the favorable effects of the immunosuppression induced by T. gondii infection on the pathogenesis and progression of AD in Tg2576 mice.     

A Comprehensive Behavioral Test Battery to Assess Learning and Memory in 129S6/Tg2576 Mice

Transgenic Tg2576 mice overexpressing human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) are a widely used Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model to evaluate treatment effects on amyloid beta (Aβ) pathology and cognition. Tg2576 mice on a B6;SJL background strain carry a recessive rd1 mutation that leads to early retinal degeneration and visual impairment in homozygous carriers. This can impair performance in behavioral tests that rely on visual cues, and thus, affect study results. Therefore, B6;SJL/Tg2576 mice were systematically backcrossed with 129S6/SvEvTac mice resulting in 129S6/Tg2576 mice that lack the rd1 mutation. 129S6/Tg2576 mice do not develop retinal degeneration but still show Aβ accumulation in the brain that is comparable to the original B6;SJL/Tg2576 mouse. However, comprehensive studies on cognitive decline in 129S6/Tg2576 mice are limited. In this study, we used two dementia mouse models on a 129S6 background—scopolamine-treated 129S6/SvEvTac mice (3–5 month-old) and transgenic 129S6/Tg2576 mice (11–13 month-old)–to establish a behavioral test battery for assessing learning and memory. The test battery consisted of five tests to evaluate different aspects of cognitive impairment: a Y-Maze forced alternation task, a novel object recognition test, the Morris water maze, the radial arm water maze, and a Y-maze spontaneous alternation task. We first established this behavioral test battery with the scopolamine-induced dementia model using 129S6/SvEvTac mice and then evaluated 129S6/Tg2576 mice using the same testing protocol. Both models showed distinctive patterns of cognitive impairment. Together, the non-invasive behavioral test battery presented here allows detecting cognitive impairment in scopolamine-treated 129S6/SvEvTac mice and in transgenic 129S6/Tg2576 mice. Due to the modular nature of this test battery, more behavioral tests, e.g. invasive assays to gain additional cognitive information, can easily be added.     

Brain 5‐lipoxygenase over‐expression worsens memory,synaptic integrity,and tau pathology in the P301S mice

Progressive accumulation of highly phosphorylated tau protein isoforms is the main feature of a group of neurodegenerative diseases collectively called tauopathies. Data from human and animal models of these diseases have shown that neuroinflammation often accompanies their pathogenesis. The 5‐lipoxygenase (5LO) is an enzyme widely expressed in the brain and a source of potent pro‐inflammatory mediators, while its pharmacological inhibition modulates the phenotype of a tau transgenic mouse model, the htau mice. By employing an adeno‐associated viral vector system to over‐express 5LO in the brain, we examined its contribution to the behavioral deficits and neuropathology in a different transgenic mouse model of tauopathy, the P301S mouse line. Compared with controls, 5LO‐targeted gene brain over‐expression in these mice resulted in a worsening of behavioral and motor deficits. Over‐expression of 5LO resulted in microglia and astrocyte activation and significant synaptic pathology, which was associated with a significant elevation of tau phosphorylation at specific epitopes, tau insoluble fraction, and activation of the cdk5 kinase. In vitro studies confirmed that 5LO directly modulates tau phosphorylation at the same epitopes via the cdk5 kinase pathway. These data demonstrate that 5LO plays a direct role in tau phosphorylation and is an active player in the development of the entire tau phenotype. They provide further support to the hypothesis that 5LO is a viable therapeutic target for the treatment and/or prevention of human tauopathy.     

Hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress and impairs axonal transport rates in mice

Background

While hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress damages peripheral neurons, technical limitations have, in part, prevented in vivo studies to determine the effect of hyperglycemia on the neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). While olfactory dysfunction is indicated in diabetes, the effect of hyperglycemia on olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) remains unknown. In this study, we utilized manganese enhanced MRI (MEMRI) to assess the impact of hyperglycemia on axonal transport rates in ORNs. We hypothesize that (i) hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress and is associated with reduced axonal transport rates in the ORNs and (ii) hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress activates the p38 MAPK pathway in association with phosphorylation of tau protein leading to the axonal transport deficits.

Research Design and Methods

T₁-weighted MEMRI imaging was used to determine axonal transport rates post-streptozotocin injection in wildtype (WT) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) overexpressing C57Bl/6 mice. SOD2 overexpression reduces mitochondrial superoxide load. Dihydroethidium staining was used to quantify the reactive oxygen species (ROS), specifically, superoxide (SO). Protein and gene expression levels were determined using western blotting and Q-PCR analysis, respectively.

Results

STZ-treated WT mice exhibited significantly reduced axonal transport rates and significantly higher levels of ROS, phosphorylated p38 MAPK and tau protein as compared to the WT vehicle treated controls and STZ-treated SOD2 mice. The gene expression levels of p38 MAPK and tau remained unchanged.

Conclusion

Increased oxidative stress in STZ-treated WT hyperglycemic mice activates the p38 MAPK pathway in association with phosphorylation of tau and attenuates axonal transport rates in the olfactory system. In STZ-treated SOD-overexpressing hyperglycemic mice in which superoxide levels are reduced, these deficits are reversed.