Neuroprotective profiles of anti-aging gene Klotho in Alzheimer disease mouse model

OBJECTIVE Alzheimer disease(AD) is the most common type of senile dementia. The anti-aging gene Klotho is reported to decline in the brain of patients and animals with AD. However, the role of Klotho in the progression of AD remains elusive. The present study explored the effects and underlying mechanism of Klotho in amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1(APP/PS1) transgenic mice. METHODS The upregulation of cerebral Klotho expression was mediated by intracerebroventricular administration of a lentiviral vector that encoded Klotho(LV-KL) in APP/PS1 transgenicmice.RESULTS LV-KL significantly increased Klotho overexpression and effectively ameliorated cognitive deficits and AD-like pathology in aged AD mice. LV-KL might induce autophagy activation and protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition in both AD mice and cultured BV2 murine microglia. Meanwhile, LV-KL altered the expression of low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1(LRP-1), receptor for advanced glycation end products, P-glycoprotein and ABCA1 both at the brain microvascular and choroid plexus as well as the contents of plasma s LRP-1 in aged AD mice.CONCLUSION The current results indicate that Klotho plays a crucial role in the clearance of cerebral amyloid β protein and the progression of AD in mice. These findings highlight the preventive and therapeutic potential of Klotho for the treatment of AD.