Corrigendum: Early active immunization with Aβ3–10-KLH vaccine reduces tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus and protects cognition of mice

doi:10.4103/1673-5374.280331 In the article titled“Early active immunization with Aβ3–10-KLH vaccine reduces tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus and protects cognition of mice”published on pages 519–527,Issue 3,Volume 15 of Neural Regeneration Research(Wang et al.,2020),the affiliation of the first author Jin-Chun Wang was written incorrectly.The correct author affiliations are as follows.     

Crry silencing alleviates Alzheimer’s disease injury by regulating neuroinflammatory cytokines and the complement system

Complement component(3b/4b)receptor 1(CR1)expression is positively related to the abundance of phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau(tau),and CR1 expression is associated with susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease.However,the exact role of CR1 in tau protein-associated neurodegenerative diseases is unknown.In this study,we show that the mouse Cr1-related protein Y(Crry)gene,Crry,is localized to microglia.We also found that Crry protein expression in the hippocampus and cortex was significantly elevated in P301S mice(a mouse model widely used for investigating tau pathology)compared with that in wild-type mice.Tau protein phosphorylation(at serine 202,threonine 205,threonine 231,and serine 262)and expression of the major tau kinases glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta and cyclin-dependent-like kinase 5 were greater in P301S mice than in wild-type mice.Crry silencing by lentivirus-transfected short hairpin RNA led to greatly reduced tau phosphorylation and glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta and cyclin-dependent-like kinase 5 activity.Crry silencing reduced neuronal apoptosis and rescued cognitive impairment of P301S mice.Crry silencing also reduced the levels of the neuroinflammatory factors interleukin-1 beta,tumor necrosis factor alpha,and interleukin-6 and the complement components complement 3 and complement component 3b.Our results suggest that Crry silencing in the P301S mouse model reduces tau protein phosphorylation by reducing the levels of neuroinflammation and complement components,thereby improving cognitive function.     

Loss of canonical Wnt signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is the most common form of dementia in the older population, however, the precise cause of the disease is unknown. The neuropathology is characterized by the presence of aggregates formed by amyloid-β(Aβ) peptide and phosphorylated tau; which is accompanied by progressive impairment of memory. Diverse signaling pathways are linked to AD, and among these the Wnt signaling pathway is becoming increasingly relevant, since it plays essential roles in the adult brain. Initially, Wnt signaling activation was proposed as a neuroprotective mechanism against Aβ toxicity. Later, it was reported that it participates in tau phosphorylation and processes of learning and memory. Interestingly, in the last years we demonstrated that Wnt signaling is fundamental in amyloid precursor protein(APP) processing and that Wnt dysfunction results in Aβ production and aggregation in vitro. Recent in vivo studies reported that loss of canonical Wnt signaling exacerbates amyloid deposition in a transgenic(Tg) mouse model of AD. Finally, we showed that inhibition of Wnt signaling in a Tg mouse previously at the appearance of AD signs, resulted in memory loss, tau phosphorylation and Aβ formation and aggregation; indicating that Wnt dysfunction accelerated the onset of AD. More importantly, Wnt signaling loss promoted cognitive impairment, tau phosphorylation and Aβ1–42 production in the hippocampus of wild-type(WT) mice, contributing to the development of an Alzheimer's-like neurophatology. Therefore, in this review we highlight the importance of Wnt/β-catenin signaling dysfunction in the onset of AD and propose that the loss of canonical Wnt signaling is a triggering factor of AD.     

Sex Differences in Neuropathology and Cognitive Behavior in APP/PS1/tau Triple-Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is the most common form of dementia among the elderly, characterized by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation in the brain, as well as impaired cognitive behaviors.A sex difference in the prevalence of AD has been noted,while sex differences in the cerebral pathology and relevant molecular mechanisms are not well clarified. In the present study, we systematically investigated the sex differences in pathological characteristics and cognitive behavior in12-month-old male and female APP/PS1/tau triple-transgenic AD mice(3×Tg-AD mice) and examined the molecular mechanisms. We found that female 3×Tg-AD mice displayed more prominent amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, and spatial cognitive deficits than male 3×Tg-AD mice. Furthermore, the expression levels of hippocampal protein kinase A–cAMP response element-binding protein(PKA-CREB) and p38–mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPK) also showed sex difference in the AD mice, with a significant increase in the levels of p-PKA/p-CREB and a decrease in the p-p38 in female, but not male, 3×Tg-AD mice. We suggest that an estrogen deficiency-induced PKA-CREB-MAPK signaling disorder in 12-month-old female 3×Tg-AD mice might be involved in the serious pathological and cognitive damage in these mice. Therefore, sex differences should be taken into account in investigating AD biomarkers and related target molecules, and estrogen supplementation or PKA-CREBMAPK stabilization could be beneficial in relieving the pathological damage in AD and improving the cognitive behavior of reproductively-senescent females.     

Cognitive deficits and Alzheimer-like neuropathological impairments during adolescence in a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Numerous studies have shown that many patients who suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus exhibit cognitive dysfunction and neuronal synaptic impairments. Therefore, growing evidence suggests that type 2 diabetes mellitus has a close relationship with occurrence and progression of neurodegeneration and neural impairment in Alzheimer's disease. However, the relationship between metabolic disorders caused by type 2 diabetes mellitus and neurodegeneration and neural impairments in Alzheimer's disease is still not fully determined. Thus, in this study, we replicated a type 2 diabetic animal model by subcutaneous injection of newborn Sprague-Dawley rats with monosodium glutamate during the neonatal period. At 3 months old, the Barnes maze assay was performed to evaluate spatial memory function. Microelectrodes were used to measure electrophysiological function in the hippocampal CA1 region. Western blot assay was used to determine expression levels of glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA type subunit 2 A(GluN2A) and GluN2B in the hippocampus. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine levels of interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin-6 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, as well as hippocampal amyloid beta(Aβ)1–40 and Aβ_(1–42) levels. Our results showed that in the rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus caused by monosodium glutamate exposure during the neonatal period, latency was prolonged and the number of errors increased in the Barnes maze. Further, latency was increased and time in the escape platform quadrant shortened. Number of times crossing the platform was also reduced in the Morris water maze. After high frequency stimulation of the hippocampus, synaptic transmission was inhibited, expression of GluN2A and GluN2B were decreased in the hippocampus, expression of interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor α was increased in the hippocampus and cortex, and levels of Aβ_(1–40) and Aβ_(1–42) were increased in the hippocampus. These findings confirm that type 2 diabetes mellitus induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate exposure results in Alzheimer-like neuropathological changes and further causes cognitive deficits and neurodegeneration in young adulthood.     

Ketamine induces tau hyperphosphorylation at serine 404 in the hippocampus of neonatal rats

Male Wistar 7-day-old rats were injected with 40 mg/kg ketamine intraperitoneally, followed by three additional injections of 20 mg/kg ketamine each upon restoration of the righting reflex. Neonatal rats injected with equivalent volumes of saline served as controls. Hippocampal samples were collected at 1, 7 or 14 days following administration. Electron microscopy showed that neuronal structure changed noticeably following ketamine treatment. Specifically, microtubular structure became irregular and disorganized. Quantitative real time-PCR revealed that phosphorylated tau mRNA was upregulated after ketamine. Western blot analysis demonstrated that phosphorylated tau levels at serine 396 initially decreased at 1 day after ketamine injection, and then gradually returned to control values. At 14 days after injection, levels of phosphorylated tau were higher in the ketamine group than in the control group. Tau protein phosphorylated at serine 404 significantly increased after ketamine injection, and then gradually decreased with time. However, the levels of tau protein at serine 404 were significantly greater in the ketamine group than in the control group until 14 days. The present results indicate that ketamine induces an increase of phosphorylated tau mRNA and excessive phosphorylation of tau protein at serine 404, causing disruption of microtubules in the neonatal rat hippocampus and potentially resulting in damage to hippocampal neurons.     

Genistein protects hippocampal neurons against injury by regulating calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase IV protein levels in Alzheimer's disease model rats

Genistein has a neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer's disease, but its mechanism of action needs further clarification. Accumulating evidence suggests that excessive phosphorylation of tau protein causes production of neurofibrillary tangles, which is one of the main pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease, and tau protein can be phosphorylated by calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase IV (CAMK4). After 7 days of pre-administration of genistein (90 mg/kg), an Alzheimer's disease rat model was established using an intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose combined with an intracerebral injection of amyloid-β peptide (25–35). The rat was then continu-ously administered genistein (90 mg/kg) for 42 days. The Morris water maze test, western blotting and hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed that genistein significantly decreased the escape latency and increased the number of times crossing the platform, reduced p-tau, CALM, CAMKK1 and p-CAMK4 protein levels in the hippocampus, and alleviated hippocampal neuron damage. These findings indicate that genistein may play a neuroprotective role in Alzheimer's disease through regulating CAMK4 to modulate tau hyperphosphorylation.     

A new DNA vaccine fused with the C3d-p28 induces a Th2 immune response against amyloid-beta

To enhance anti-amyloid-beta(Aβ) antibody generation and induce a Th2 immune response,we constructed a new DNA vaccine p(Aβ3-10)10-C3d-p28.3 encoding ten repeats of Aβ3-10 and three copies of C3d-p28 as a molecular adjuvant.In this study,we administered this adjuvant intramuscularly to female C57BL/6J mice at 8-10 weeks of age.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the titer of serum anti-Aβ antibody,isotypes,and cytokines in splenic T cells.A 3(4,5-cimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay was used to detect the proliferation rate of splenic T cells.Brain sections from a 12-month-old APP/PS1 transgenic mouse were used for detecting the binding capacities of anti-Aβ antibodies to Aβ plaques.The p(Aβ3-10)10-C3d-p28.3 vaccine induced high titers of anti-amyloid-β antibodies,which bound to Aβ plaques in APP/PS1 transgenic mouse brain tissue,demonstrating that the vaccine is effective against plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.Moreover,the vaccine elicited a predominantly IgG1 humoral response and low levels of interferon-γ in ex vivo cultured splenocytes,indicating that the vaccine could shift the cellular immune response towards a Th2 phenotype.This indicated that the vaccine did not elicit a detrimental immune response and had a favorable safety profile.Our results indicate that the p(Aβ3-10)10-C3d-p28.3 vaccine is a promising immunotherapeutic option for Aβ vaccination in Alzheimer’s disease.     

Nasal mucosal inhalation of amyloid-beta peptide 3–10 defective adenovirus attenuates cytotoxicity induced by beta-amyloid(1–42)

Three-month-old Alzheimer's disease model transgenic mice were immunized with Aβ1–42, Plp-Adenovirus [Ad]-X-CMV-(Aβ3–10)10-CpG [AdCpG-(Aβ3–10)10] or AdCpG virus fluid via nasal mucosal inhalation, respectively. ELISA analysis of serum showed Aβ42 antibody titers were significantly increased in mice immunized with Aβ1–42 and AdCpG-(Aβ3–10)10. Concanavalin A and AdCpG-(Aβ3–10)10 stimulation significantly increased the number of proliferating spleen cells cultured from AdCpG(Aβ3–10)10 and Aβ42 groups compared with the control group. In the AdCpG(Aβ3–10)10 group, levels of interleukin(IL)-4 and IL-10 were increased, while those of IL-2 and interferon-γ were decreased. In the Aβ42 group, levels of IL-4, IL-10, IL-2 and interferon-γ were all increased. Experimental findings indicate that AdCpG-(Aβ3–10)10 vaccine can produce strong T helper 2(Th2) humoral immune responses in addition to the production of Aβ42 antibody. The cellular immunologic response was weak and avoided Aβ1–42-mediated cytotoxicity.     

Expression of secreted human single-chain fragment variable antibody against human amyloid beta peptide in Pichia pastoris*☆

BACKGROUND：Studies have shown that monoclonal or polyclonal antibody injections of amyloid β peptide are effective in removing amyloid β peptide overload in the brain. OBJECTIVE： Based on successful screening of a human single-chain fragment variable antibody specific to amyloidβpeptide, this paper aimed to express recombinant human single-chain variable antibody against amyloid β peptide. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A single sample experiment was performed at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Hospital （Beijing, China） from January to July 2006. MATERIALS： Human single-chain fragment variable antibody gene against amyloid β peptide was screened from a human phage-display antibody library. METHODS： Human single-chain fragment variable antibody gene was mutated to eliminate a BamHI restriction site and cloned into a T easy plasmid for pT-scFvAβ construction, which was identified by PCR amplification and endonuclease digestion. Plasmid pT-scFvAβ was cut by EcoRI and NotI endonucleases, and the antibody gene was cloned into pPIC9K plasmid to construct pPIC9K-scFvAβ expression vector, which was confirmed by gene sequencing. Linearized pPIC9K-scFvAβ was used to transform a Pichia pastoris GS115 cell line, and the recombinant was induced by 0.5% methanol to express human single-chain fragment variable antibody specific to amyloid β peptide. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Protein electrophoresis was used to identify PCR products, gene sequencing was used to verify the pPIC9K-scFvA sequence, and SDS-PAGE was used to detect recombinant expression of human single-chain fragment variable antibody specific to amyloid β peptide in Pichia pastoris. RESULTS： Gene sequencing confirmed pPIC9K-scFvAβ orientation. Recombinants were obtained by linearized pPIC9K-scFvAβ transformation. After induction with 0.5% methanol, the recombinant yeast cells secreted proteins of 33-ku size. CONCLUSION： The expression vector pP     

Genistein protects hippocampal neurons against injury by regulating calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase Ⅳ protein levels in Alzheimer's disease model rats

Genistein has a neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer's disease, but its mechanism of action needs further clarification. Accumulating evidence suggests that excessive phosphorylation of tau protein causes production of neurofibrillary tangles, which is one of the main pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease, and tau protein can be phosphorylated by calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase IV(CAMK4). After 7 days of pre-administration of genistein(90 mg/kg), an Alzheimer's disease rat model was established using an intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose combined with an intracerebral injection of amyloid-β peptide(25–35). The rat was then continuously administered genistein(90 mg/kg) for 42 days. The Morris water maze test, western blotting and hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed that genistein significantly decreased the escape latency and increased the number of times crossing the platform, reduced p-tau, CALM, CAMKK1 and p-CAMK4 protein levels in the hippocampus, and alleviated hippocampal neuron damage. These findings indicate that genistein may play a neuroprotective role in Alzheimer's disease through regulating CAMK4 to modulate tau hyperphosphorylation.     

Trillium tschonoskii maxim extract attenuates abnormal Tau phosphorylation

Large-scale epidemiological studies have found that hyperhomocysteinemia is a powerful, independent risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Trillium tschonoskii maxim is a traditional Chinese medicine that is used to promote memory. However, scientific understanding of its mechanism of action is limited. This report studied the potential neuroprotective effects of Trillium tschonoskii maxim extract against homocysteine-induced cognitive deficits. Rats were intravenously injected with homocysteine(400 μg/kg) for 14 days to induce a model of Alzheimer's disease. These rats were then intragastrically treated with Trillium tschonoskii maxim extract(0.125 or 0.25 g/kg) for 7 consecutive days. Open field test and Morris water maze test were conducted to measure spontaneous activity and learning and memory abilities. Western blot assay was used to detect the levels of Tau protein and other factors involved in Tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus. Immunohistochemical staining was used to examine Tau protein in the hippocampus. Golgi staining was applied to measure hippocampal dendritic spines. Our results demonstrated that homocysteine produced learning and memory deficits and increased levels of Tau phosphorylation, and diminished the activity of catalytic protein phosphatase 2A. The total number of hippocampal dendritic spines was also decreased. Trillium tschonoskii maxim extract treatment reversed the homocysteine-induced changes. The above results suggest that Trillium tschonoskii maxim extract can lessen homocysteine-induced abnormal Tau phosphorylation and improve cognitive deterioration such as that present in Alzheimer's disease.     

Sevoflurane plays a reduced role in cognitive impairment compared with isoflurane: limited effect on fear memory retention

Isoflurane and sevoflurane are both inhalation anesthetics,but in clinical application,sevoflurane has been considered to be less suitable for long-term anesthesia because of its catabolic compounds and potential nephrotoxicity.Nevertheless,recent studies have shown that these two inhalation anesthetics are similar in hepatorenal toxicity,cost,and long-term anesthetic effect.Moreover,sevoflurane possibly has less cognitive impact on young mice.In this study,C57BL/6 mice aged 8–10 weeks were exposed to 1.2%isoflurane or 2.4%sevoflurane for 6 hours.Cognitive function and memory were examined in young mice using the novel object recognition,contextual fear conditioning,and cued-fear extinction tests.Western blot assay was performed to detect expression levels of D1 dopamine receptor,catechol-O-methyltransferase,phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β,and total glycogen synthase kinase-3βin the hippocampus.Our results show that impaired performance was not detected in mice exposed to sevoflurane during the novel object recognition test.Contextual memory impairment in the fear conditioning test was shorter in the sevoflurane group than the isoflurane group.Long-term sevoflurane exposure did not affect memory consolidation,while isoflurane led to memory consolidation and reduced retention.Downregulation of hippocampal D1 dopamine receptors and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β/total glycogen synthase kinase-3βand upregulation of catechol-O-methyltransferase may be associated with differing memory performance after exposure to isoflurane or sevoflurane.These results confirm that sevoflurane has less effect on cognitive impairment than isoflurane,which may be related to expression of D1 dopamine receptors and catechol-O-methyltransferase and phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3βin the hippocampus.This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee,Nanjing University,China on November 20,2017(approval No.20171102).     

Phosphorylation of tau protein over time in rats subjected to transient brain ischemia

Transient brain ischemia has been shown to induce hyperphosphorylation of the micro- tubule-associated protein tau. To further determine the mechanisms underlying these processes, we investigated the interaction between tau, glycogen synthase kinase （GSK）-313 and protein phos- phatase 2A. The results confirmed that tau protein was dephosphorylated during brain ischemia; in addition, the activity of GSK-3β was increased and the activity of protein phosphatase 2A was de- creased. After reperfusion, tau protein was hyperphosphorylated, the activity of GSK-3β was de- creased and the activity of protein phosphatase 2A remained low. Importantly, the interaction of tau with GSK-3β and protein phosphatase 2A was altered during ischemia and reperfusion. Lithium chloride could affect tau phosphorylation by regulating the interaction of tau with GSK-3β and pro- tein phosphatase 2A, and improve learning and memory ability of rats after transient brain ischemia. The present study demonstrated that it was the interaction of tau with GSK-3β and protein phos- phatase 2A, rather than their individual activities, that dominates the phosphorylation of tau in tran- sient brain ischemia. Hyperphosphorylated tau protein may play an important role in the evolution of brain injury in ischemic stroke. The neuroprotective effects of lithium chloride partly depend on the inhibition of tau phosphorylation during transient brain ischemia.     

Tibolone modulates neuronal plasticity through regulating Tau,GSK3β/Akt/PI3K pathway and CDK5 p35/p25 complexes in the hippocampus of aged male mice

Aging is a key risk factor for cognitive decline and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. Also, an age-related decrease in sex steroid hormones may have a negative impact on the formation of neurofibrillary tangles(NFTs); these hormones can regulate Tau phosphorylation and the principal kinase GSK3β involved in this process. Hormone replacement therapy decreases NFTs, but it increases the risk of some types of cancer. However, other synthetic hormones such as tibolone(TIB) have been used for hormone replacement therapy. The aim of this work was to evaluate the long-term effects of TIB(0.01 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg, intragastrically for 12 weeks) on the content of total and hyperphosphorylated Tau(PHF-1) proteins and the regulation of GSK3β/Akt/PI3 K pathway and CDK5/p35/p25 complexes in the hippocampus of aged male mice. We observed that the content of PHF-1 decreased with TIB administration. In contrast, no changes were observed in the active form of GSK3β or PI3 K. TIB decreased the expression of the total and phosphorylated form of Akt while increased that of p110 and p85. The content of CDK5 was differentially modified with TIB: it was increased at low doses and decreased at high doses. When we analyzed the content of CDK5 activators, an increase was found on p35; however, the content of p25 decreased with administration of low dose of TIB. Our results suggest a possible mechanism of action of TIB in the hippocampus of aged male mice. Through the regulation of Tau and GSK3β/Akt/PI3 K pathway, and CDK5/p35/p25 complexes, TIB may modulate neuronal plasticity and regulate learning and memory processes.     

Volatile of alkyd varnish inhibits the expression of neuronal growth associated protein-43 in mice

BACKGROUND: Studies have demonstrated that coating materials used commonly in the interior decoration contain volatile of alkyd varnish, which has obvious effects on the structure of endothelial cells of respiratory tract. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of volatile of alkyd varnish in the decoration materials on the expression of neuronal growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in mice, and to analyze the influencing mechanism of interior environmental pollutants for brain mechanism. DESIGN: A randomized grouping and controlled experiment. SETTING: College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University. MATERIALS: This study was carried out in the College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University between February and December 2006. Twenty one-month-old Kunming mice, weighing （20±2）g, male and female in half, were involved in this study. The involved mice were divided into 2 groups by random lot method: chronic poisoning group (n =10) and control group (n =10). Alkyd varnish used commonly for house decoration was purchased from Furnishing World of Liberation Plaza of Dalian City. Alkyd varnish used commonly for house decoration was purchased from Furnishing World of Liberation Plaza of Dalian City. Rabbit GAP-43 polyclonal antibody, ratβ-actin monoclonal antibody, goat anti-rat IgG-HRP and goat ant-rabbit IgG-HRP were purchased from Boster Company (Wuhan). ECL was purchased from Amersham Company (Britain), other related reagents were all purchased from Sigma Company and Promega Company (USA). All the other reagents were home-made analytical pure. METHODS: ① Poisoning test: The mice were poisoned by static inhalation poisoning method. Mice in the chronic poisoning group were placed in the 0.024 m3 poisoning cabinet. Alkyd varnish (8 g, 3-time dosage of house decoration) was daily spread once on a 40 cm×21 cm kraft paper evenly. Mice were poisoned for 14 hours within 3 weeks successively. Mice in the control group were placed in the same environment without alkyd varnish, and the poisoning method was the same as that of chronic poisoning group. ②Experimental evaluation: content of protein in the cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus of mice was measured separately by Bradford method. GAP-43 expression in the hippocampus and cortex was observed separately by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Content of protein and expression of GAP-43 in different brain regions of mice. RESULTS: Twenty mice were involved in the final analysis. ① Content of protein in the cerebellum and hippocampus of mice in the chronic poisoning group was decreased a little, separately (P > 0.05). ② GAP-43 expression in the hippocampus of mice of the chronic poisoning group was significantly lower than that of the control group(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Long-term action of volatile of alkyd varnish can inhibit the brain functions of mice by depressing the GAP-43 expression in hippocampus of mice.     

Comparative study of histopathology changes between the PS1/APP double transgenic mouse model and Aβ_(1-40)-injected rat model of Alzheimer disease

Objective To identify the genetype of the PS1/APP double transgenic mouse model, then to analyse the histopathological changes in the brain and compare the differences between the transgenic mice models and Aβ_(1-40)-injected rats models of Alzheimer disease. Methods The modified congo red staining, Nissl's staining and immunohistology staining was used to observe the Aβ deposits, activation of astrocyte respectively. Results ①The PS1/APP transgenic mouse extensively displayed Aβ deposits in the cortex and hippocampal structures, and GFAP positive cells were aggregated in mass and surrounded the congo red-positive plaque. ②The Aβ_(1-40)-intrahippocampal-injected rat model showed the Aβ plaque deposits in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, with the astrocyte surrounded. The neurons loss was significant in the injection point and pin hole of injection with Nissl's staining methods. GFAP-positive cells increased significantly compared with the uninjected lateral of the hippocampus. Conclusion Although Aβ_(1-40)-injected rat models could simulate some characteristic pathological features of human Alzheimer diseases, Aβ deposits and neurons loss in partial hippocampal, it would not simulate the progressive degenenration in the brain of AD. The double transgenie PS1/APP mice could simulate the specific pathogenesis and progressive changes of AD, mainly is Aβ deposits and the spongiocyte response, while no neurons loss were observed in this model.     

Comparative study of histopathology changes between the PS1/APP double transgenic mouse model and Aβ1-40 -injected rat model of Alzheimer disease

Objective To identify the genetype of the PS1/APP double transgenie mouse model, then to analyse the histopathological changes in the brain and compare the differences between the transgenie mice models and Aβ1-40-injeeted rats models of Alzheimer disease. Methods The modified congo red staining, Nissl＇s staining and immunohistology staining was used to observe the Aβ deposits, activation of astrocyte respectively. Results ①The PS1/APP transgenic mouse extensively displayed Aβ deposits in the cortex and hippocampal structures, and GFAP positive cells were aggregated in mass and surrounded the congo red-positive plaque. ②The Aβ1-40-intrahippocmnpal-injeeted rat model showed the Aβ plaque deposits in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, with the astrocyte surrounded. The neurons loss was significant in the injection point and pin hole of injection with Nissl＇s staining methods. GFAP-positive cells increased significantly compared with the uninjected lateral of the hippocampus. Conclusion Although Aβ1-40-injected rat models could simulate some characteristic pathological features of human Alzheimer diseases, Aβ deposits and neurons loss in partial hippocampal, it would not simulate the progressive degenenration in the brain of AD. The double transgenie PS1/APP mice could simulate the specific pathogenesis and progressive changes of AD, mainly is Aβ deposits and the spongiocyte response , while no neurons loss were observed in this model.     

Glutamate receptor delocalization in postsynaptic membrane and reduced hippocampal synaptic plasticity in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease

Mounting evidence suggests that synaptic plasticity provides the cellular biological basis of learning and memory, and plasticity deficits play a key role in dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease. However, the mechanisms by which synaptic dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease remain unclear. In the present study, Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice were used to determine the relationship between decreased hippocampal synaptic plasticity and pathological changes and cognitive-behavioral deterioration, as well as possible mechanisms underlying decreased synaptic plasticity in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease-like diseases. APP/PS1 double transgenic(5 XFAD; Jackson Laboratory) mice and their littermates(wild-type, controls) were used in this study. Additional 6-weekold and 10-week-old 5 XFAD mice and wild-type mice were used for electrophysiological recording of hippocampal dentate gyrus. For10-week-old 5 XFAD mice and wild-type mice, the left hippocampus was used for electrophysiological recording, and the right hippocampus was used for biochemical experiments or immunohistochemical staining to observe synaptophysin levels and amyloid beta deposition levels. The results revealed that, compared with wild-type mice, 6-week-old 5 XFAD mice exhibited unaltered long-term potentiation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Another set of 5 XFAD mice began to show attenuation at the age of 10 weeks, and a large quantity of amyloid beta protein was accumulated in hippocampal cells. The location of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor subunits in synaptosomes was decreased. These findings indicate that the delocalization of postsynaptic glutamate receptors and an associated decline in synaptic plasticity may be key mechanisms in the early onset of Alzheimer's disease. The use and care of animals were in strict accordance with the ethical standards of the Animal Ethics Committee of Capital Medical University,China on December 17, 2015(approval No. AEEI-2015-182).