Microglia Activated with the Toll-Like Receptor 9 Ligand CpG Attenuate Oligomeric Amyloid β Neurotoxicity in in Vitro and in Vivo Models of Alzheimer’s Disease

β-Asarone is the main constituent of Acorus tatarinowii Schott and exhibits important effects in diseases such as neurodegenerative and neurovascular diseases. Icariin (ICA) is a major active ingredient of Epimedium that has attracted increasing attention because of its unique pharmacological effects in degenerative disease. In this paper, we primarily explored the effects of the combination of β-asarone and ICA in clearing noxious proteins and reversing cognitive deficits. The accumulation of damaged mitochondria and mitophagy are hallmarks of aging and age-related neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we provide evidence that autophagy/mitophagy is impaired in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice and in Aβ1-42-induced PC12 cell models. Enhanced mitophagic activity has been reported to promote Aβ and tau clearance in in vitro and in vivo models. Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that treatment of AD should be preceded by intervention before the formation of pathological products. The efficacy of the combination therapy was better than that of the individual therapies applied separately. Then, we found that the combination therapy also inhibited cell and mitochondrial damage by inducing autophagy/mitophagy. These findings suggest that impaired removal of defective mitochondria is a pivotal event in AD pathogenesis, and that combination treatment with mitophagy inducers represents a potential strategy for therapeutic intervention.

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Elevated Expression of MiR-17 in Microglia of Alzheimer’s Disease Patients Abrogates Autophagy-Mediated Amyloid-β Degradation

Frontiers in Immunology ◽

10.3389/fimmu.2021.705581 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Shady Estfanous ◽

Kylene P. Daily ◽

Mostafa Eltobgy ◽

Nicholas P. Deems ◽

Midhun N. K. Anne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Tissue Sections ◽

Cargo Receptor ◽

5Xfad Mouse ◽

Aβ Degradation

Autophagy is a proposed route of amyloid-β (Aβ) clearance by microglia that is halted in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), though mechanisms underlying this dysfunction remain elusive. Here, primary microglia from adult AD (5xFAD) mice were utilized to demonstrate that 5xFAD microglia fail to degrade Aβ and express low levels of autophagy cargo receptor NBR1. In 5xFAD mouse brains, we show for the first time that AD microglia express elevated levels of microRNA cluster Mirc1/Mir17-92a, which is known to downregulate autophagy proteins. By in situ hybridization in post-mortem AD human tissue sections, we observed that the Mirc1/Mir17-92a cluster member miR-17 is also elevated in human AD microglia, specifically in the vicinity of Aβ deposits, compared to non-disease controls. We show that NBR1 expression is negatively correlated with expression of miR-17 in human AD microglia via immunohistopathologic staining in human AD brain tissue sections. We demonstrate in healthy microglia that autophagy cargo receptor NBR1 is required for Aβ degradation. Inhibiting elevated miR-17 in 5xFAD mouse microglia improves Aβ degradation, autophagy, and NBR1 puncta formation in vitro and improves NBR1 expression in vivo. These findings offer a mechanism behind dysfunctional autophagy in AD microglia which may be useful for therapeutic interventions aiming to improve autophagy function in AD.

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In vitro and in vivo models to unravel the potential roles of β/A4 in the pathogenesis of alzheimer's disease

Hippocampus ◽

10.1002/hipo.1993.4500030729 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 3 (S1) ◽

pp. 257-267

Author(s):

Alan D. Snow ◽

Alfred T. Malouf

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

In Vivo Models

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The inhibition of cellular toxicity of amyloid-β by dissociated transthyretin

Journal of Biological Chemistry ◽

10.1074/jbc.ra120.013440 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 295 (41) ◽

pp. 14015-14024 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Qin Cao ◽

Daniel H. Anderson ◽

Wilson Y. Liang ◽

Joshua Chou ◽

Lorena Saelices

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Protective Effect ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Aβ Oligomers ◽

Cellular Toxicity ◽

Computational Docking

The protective effect of transthyretin (TTR) on cellular toxicity of β-amyloid (Aβ) has been previously reported. TTR is a tetrameric carrier of thyroxine in blood and cerebrospinal fluid, the pathogenic aggregation of which causes systemic amyloidosis. However, studies have documented a protective effect of TTR against cellular toxicity of pathogenic Aβ, a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease. TTR binds Aβ, alters its aggregation, and inhibits its toxicity both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we investigate whether the amyloidogenic ability of TTR and its antiamyloid inhibitory effect are associated. Using protein aggregation and cytotoxicity assays, we found that the dissociation of the TTR tetramer, required for its amyloid pathogenesis, is also necessary to prevent cellular toxicity from Aβ oligomers. These findings suggest that the Aβ-binding site of TTR may be hidden in its tetrameric form. Aided by computational docking and peptide screening, we identified a TTR segment that is capable of altering Aβ aggregation and toxicity, mimicking TTR cellular protection. EM, immune detection analysis, and assessment of aggregation and cytotoxicity revealed that the TTR segment inhibits Aβ oligomer formation and also promotes the formation of nontoxic, nonamyloid amorphous aggregates, which are more sensitive to protease digestion. Finally, this segment also inhibits seeding of Aβ catalyzed by Aβ fibrils extracted from the brain of an Alzheimer's patient. Together, these findings suggest that mimicking the inhibitory effect of TTR with peptide-based therapeutics represents an additional avenue to explore for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

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N,N′-Diacetyl-p-phenylenediamine restores microglial phagocytosis and improves cognitive defects in Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1916318116 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (47) ◽

pp. 23426-23436 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Min Hee Park ◽

Misun Lee ◽

Geewoo Nam ◽

Mingeun Kim ◽

Juhye Kang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Transgenic Mice ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Causative Factor ◽

Central Feature ◽

Microglial Phagocytosis ◽

Cognitive Defects

As a central feature of neuroinflammation, microglial dysfunction has been increasingly considered a causative factor of neurodegeneration implicating an intertwined pathology with amyloidogenic proteins. Herein, we report the smallest synthetic molecule (N,N′-diacetyl-p-phenylenediamine [DAPPD]), simply composed of a benzene ring with 2 acetamide groups at the para position, known to date as a chemical reagent that is able to promote the phagocytic aptitude of microglia and subsequently ameliorate cognitive defects. Based on our mechanistic investigations in vitro and in vivo, 1) the capability of DAPPD to restore microglial phagocytosis is responsible for diminishing the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) species and significantly improving cognitive function in the brains of 2 types of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) transgenic mice, and 2) the rectification of microglial function by DAPPD is a result of its ability to suppress the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins through its impact on the NF-κB pathway. Overall, our in vitro and in vivo investigations on efficacies and molecular-level mechanisms demonstrate the ability of DAPPD to regulate microglial function, suppress neuroinflammation, foster cerebral Aβ clearance, and attenuate cognitive deficits in AD transgenic mouse models. Discovery of such antineuroinflammatory compounds signifies the potential in discovering effective therapeutic molecules against AD-associated neurodegeneration.

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Anthocyanin suppresses the toxicity of Aβ deposits through diversion of molecular forms in in vitro and in vivo models of Alzheimer's disease

Nutritional Neuroscience ◽

10.1179/1476830515y.0000000042 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 32-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Miho Yoshida Yamakawa ◽

Kazuyuki Uchino ◽

Yasuhiro Watanabe ◽

Tadashi Adachi ◽

Mami Nakanishi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Molecular Forms ◽

In Vivo Models

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Increased levels of Stress-inducible phosphoprotein-1 accelerates amyloid-β deposition in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

Acta Neuropathologica Communications ◽

10.1186/s40478-020-01013-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Rachel E. Lackie ◽

Jose Marques-Lopes ◽

Valeriy G. Ostapchenko ◽

Sarah Good ◽

Wing-Yiu Choy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Mouse Model ◽

Protein Quality ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Amyloid Burden ◽

C Elegans ◽

Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease

Abstract Molecular chaperones and co-chaperones, which are part of the protein quality control machinery, have been shown to regulate distinct aspects of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology in multiple ways. Notably, the co-chaperone STI1, which presents increased levels in AD, can protect mammalian neurons from amyloid-β toxicity in vitro and reduced STI1 levels worsen Aβ toxicity in C. elegans. However, whether increased STI1 levels can protect neurons in vivo remains unknown. We determined that overexpression of STI1 and/or Hsp90 protected C. elegans expressing Aβ(3–42) against Aβ-mediated paralysis. Mammalian neurons were also protected by elevated levels of endogenous STI1 in vitro, and this effect was mainly due to extracellular STI1. Surprisingly, in the 5xFAD mouse model of AD, by overexpressing STI1, we find increased amyloid burden, which amplifies neurotoxicity and worsens spatial memory deficits in these mutants. Increased levels of STI1 disturbed the expression of Aβ-regulating enzymes (BACE1 and MMP-2), suggesting potential mechanisms by which amyloid burden is increased in mice. Notably, we observed that STI1 accumulates in dense-core AD plaques in both 5xFAD mice and human brain tissue. Our findings suggest that elevated levels of STI1 contribute to Aβ accumulation, and that STI1 is deposited in AD plaques in mice and humans. We conclude that despite the protective effects of STI1 in C. elegans and in mammalian cultured neurons, in vivo, the predominant effect of elevated STI1 is deleterious in AD.

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Discovery and Functional Characterization of hPT3, a Humanized Anti-Phospho Tau Selective Monoclonal Antibody

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-200544 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 77 (4) ◽

pp. 1397-1416

Author(s):

Kristof Van Kolen ◽

Thomas J. Malia ◽

Clara Theunis ◽

Rupesh Nanjunda ◽

Alexey Teplyakov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Brain Homogenate ◽

Paired Helical Filaments ◽

In Vivo Models ◽

X Ray Crystallography ◽

Human Postmortem Tissue

Background: As a consequence of the discovery of an extracellular component responsible for the progression of tau pathology, tau immunotherapy is being extensively explored in both preclinical and clinical studies as a disease modifying strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Objective: Describe the characteristics of the anti-phospho (T212/T217) tau selective antibody PT3 and its humanized variant hPT3. Methods: By performing different immunization campaigns, a large collection of antibodies has been generated and prioritized. In depth, in vitro characterization using surface plasmon resonance, phospho-epitope mapping, and X-ray crystallography experiments were performed. Further characterization involved immunohistochemical staining on mouse- and human postmortem tissue and neutralization of tau seeding by immunodepletion assays. Results and Conclusion: Various in vitro experiments demonstrated a high intrinsic affinity for PT3 and hPT3 for AD brain-derived paired helical filaments but also to non-aggregated phospho (T212/T217) tau. Further functional analyses in cellular and in vivo models of tau seeding demonstrated almost complete depletion of tau seeds in an AD brain homogenate. Ongoing trials will provide the clinical evaluation of the tau spreading hypothesis in Alzheimer’s disease.

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Commentary on: L-Methylfolate, Methylcobolamine, and N-Acetylcysteine in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease-Related Cognitive Decline

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852900027607 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 15 (S1) ◽

pp. 7-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jeffrey L Cummings

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Methylation Status ◽

Neurofibrillary Tangle ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Vitamin B ◽

Amyloid Β Protein ◽

In Vivo Models ◽

The Impact

Drs. McCaddon and Hudson provide a thorough review of the multiple ways in which vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folate, and homocysteine (Hey) are implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). They noted that Hey is more often elevated in AD and in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than in cognitively healthy elderly; phosphatases needed to limit tau hyperphosphoryalation and neurofibrillary tangle formation require methylation and are dependent on folate and methylation status; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau levels correlated with markers of methylation status; reduced folate and B12 levels lead to increase β-secretase and pesenilin 1 (PS1) actions leading to greater amyloid-β production in in vitro models; elevated Hey levels in rates are associated with increased PS1 activity and spatial memory deficits that are reversed following treatment with B12 and folate; raised Hey levels in vitro increase amyloid-β protein neurotoxicity; methylation impacts transmitters and transmitter function relevant to AD; in cultured neurons, Hey induces injury in DNA and stimulates cell death pathways. B12 deficiency leads to accumulation of methyl malonic acid, which inhibits mitochondrial function and may compromise energy generation and impair maintenance of synaptic plasticity. Methylation abnormalities result in excessive generation of reactive oxygen species that contribute importantly to cell injury. Biomarkers of oxidative injury, such as isoprostanes, are elevated in AD and suggest excess oxidation. Thus, there are multiple pathways through which deficient methylation may contribute to AD. In some cases, the observations are derived from models with B12 or folate deficiency and some in vitro observations have not been tested in in vivo models. There are no biomarkers specific to some of the pathways implicated and the magnitude of the impact of the deficiency or its treatment has not been established for all the relationships. Two open-label experiments in early- and late-stage AD patients have suggested benefit.

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