Because of a lack of sensitive biomarkers,the diagnosis of Alzheimer＇s disease（AD） cannot be made prior to symptom manifestation.Therefore,it is crucial to identify novel biomarkers for the presymptomatic diagnosis...Because of a lack of sensitive biomarkers,the diagnosis of Alzheimer＇s disease（AD） cannot be made prior to symptom manifestation.Therefore,it is crucial to identify novel biomarkers for the presymptomatic diagnosis of AD.While brain lesions are a major feature of AD,retinal pathological changes also occur in patients.In this study,we investigated the temporal changes in β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1（BACE1） expression in the retina and brain to determine whether it could serve as a suitable biomarker for early monitoring of AD.APP/PS-1 transgenic mice,3,6 and 8 months of age,were used as an experimental group,and age-matched C57/BL6 wild-type mice served as the control group.In the Morris water maze test,there were no significant differences in escape latency or in the number of crossings in the target area among mice of different ages.Compared with wild-type mice,no changes in learning or memory abilities were detected in transgenic mice at 3 months of age.However,compared with wild-type mice,the escape latency was significantly increased in transgenic mice at 6 months,starting on day 3,and at 8 months,starting on day 2,during Morris water maze training.In addition,the number of crossings of the target area was significantly decreased in transgenic mice.The learning and memory abilities of transgenic mice were further worsened at 8 months of age.Immunohistochemical staining revealed no BACE1 plaques in wild-type mice at 3,6 or 8 months or in transgenic mice at 3 months,but they were clearly found in the entorhinal cortex,hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of transgenic mice at 6 and 8 months.BACE1 expression was not detected in the retina of wild-type mice at 3 months,but weak BACE1 expression was detected in the ganglion cell layer,inner plexiform layer and outer plexiform layer at 6 and 8 months.In transgenic mice,BACE1 expression in the ganglion cell layer was increased at 3 months,and BACE1 expression in the ganglion cell layer,inner plexiform layer and outer plexiform layer was significantly increased at 6 and 8 months,compared with age-matched wild-type mice.Taken together,these results indicate that changes in BACE1 expression appear earlier in the retina than in the brain and precede behavioral deficits.Our findings suggest that abnormal expression of BACE1 in the retina is an early pathological change in APP/PS-1 transgenic mice,and that BACE1 might have potential as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of AD in humans.展开更多
Extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ) plaques are main pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease.However,the specific type of neuro ns that produce Aβ peptides in the initial stage of Alzheimer’s disease are unknown.In...Extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ) plaques are main pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease.However,the specific type of neuro ns that produce Aβ peptides in the initial stage of Alzheimer’s disease are unknown.In this study,we found that 5-hydroxytryptamin receptor 3A subunit(HTR3A) was highly expressed in the brain tissue of transgenic amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 mice(an Alzheimer’s disease model) and patients with Alzheimer’s disease.To investigate whether HTR3A-positive interneurons are associated with the production of Aβ plaques,we performed double immunostaining and found that HTR3A-positive interneurons were clustered around Aβ plaques in the mouse model.Some amyloid precursor protein-positive or β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme-1-positive neurites near Aβ plaques were co-localized with HTR3A interneurons.These results suggest that HTR3A-positive interneurons may partially contribute to the generation of Aβ peptides.We treated 5.0-5.5-month-old model mice with tro pisetron,a HTR3 antagonist,for 8 consecutive weeks.We found that the cognitive deficit of mice was partially reversed,Aβ plaques and neuroinflammation we re remarkably reduced,the expression of HTR3 was remarkably decreased and the calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cell 4 signaling pathway was inhibited in treated model mice.These findings suggest that HTR3A interneurons partly contribute to generation of Aβ peptide at the initial stage of Alzheimer’s disease and inhibiting HTR3 partly reve rses the pathological changes of Alzheimer’s disease.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(to JFH,DC,JBT),No.81371011,81400399,81471107a grant from the Project of Innovation-driven Plan of Central South University(to DC),No.2015CXS022+2 种基金a grant from the National Key Technologies Research and Development Program of China(to JFH),No.2012BAK14B03Fundamental Research Funds of Central South University of China(to HW),No.2010QZZD022Graduate Thesis Innovation Foundation of Central South University of China(to LL),No.2011ssxt106
文摘Because of a lack of sensitive biomarkers,the diagnosis of Alzheimer＇s disease（AD） cannot be made prior to symptom manifestation.Therefore,it is crucial to identify novel biomarkers for the presymptomatic diagnosis of AD.While brain lesions are a major feature of AD,retinal pathological changes also occur in patients.In this study,we investigated the temporal changes in β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1（BACE1） expression in the retina and brain to determine whether it could serve as a suitable biomarker for early monitoring of AD.APP/PS-1 transgenic mice,3,6 and 8 months of age,were used as an experimental group,and age-matched C57/BL6 wild-type mice served as the control group.In the Morris water maze test,there were no significant differences in escape latency or in the number of crossings in the target area among mice of different ages.Compared with wild-type mice,no changes in learning or memory abilities were detected in transgenic mice at 3 months of age.However,compared with wild-type mice,the escape latency was significantly increased in transgenic mice at 6 months,starting on day 3,and at 8 months,starting on day 2,during Morris water maze training.In addition,the number of crossings of the target area was significantly decreased in transgenic mice.The learning and memory abilities of transgenic mice were further worsened at 8 months of age.Immunohistochemical staining revealed no BACE1 plaques in wild-type mice at 3,6 or 8 months or in transgenic mice at 3 months,but they were clearly found in the entorhinal cortex,hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of transgenic mice at 6 and 8 months.BACE1 expression was not detected in the retina of wild-type mice at 3 months,but weak BACE1 expression was detected in the ganglion cell layer,inner plexiform layer and outer plexiform layer at 6 and 8 months.In transgenic mice,BACE1 expression in the ganglion cell layer was increased at 3 months,and BACE1 expression in the ganglion cell layer,inner plexiform layer and outer plexiform layer was significantly increased at 6 and 8 months,compared with age-matched wild-type mice.Taken together,these results indicate that changes in BACE1 expression appear earlier in the retina than in the brain and precede behavioral deficits.Our findings suggest that abnormal expression of BACE1 in the retina is an early pathological change in APP/PS-1 transgenic mice,and that BACE1 might have potential as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of AD in humans.
基金supported by the Notional Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.81371213 and 8107098 7the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai,No.21ZR1468400 (all to QLY)。
文摘Extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ) plaques are main pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease.However,the specific type of neuro ns that produce Aβ peptides in the initial stage of Alzheimer’s disease are unknown.In this study,we found that 5-hydroxytryptamin receptor 3A subunit(HTR3A) was highly expressed in the brain tissue of transgenic amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 mice(an Alzheimer’s disease model) and patients with Alzheimer’s disease.To investigate whether HTR3A-positive interneurons are associated with the production of Aβ plaques,we performed double immunostaining and found that HTR3A-positive interneurons were clustered around Aβ plaques in the mouse model.Some amyloid precursor protein-positive or β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme-1-positive neurites near Aβ plaques were co-localized with HTR3A interneurons.These results suggest that HTR3A-positive interneurons may partially contribute to the generation of Aβ peptides.We treated 5.0-5.5-month-old model mice with tro pisetron,a HTR3 antagonist,for 8 consecutive weeks.We found that the cognitive deficit of mice was partially reversed,Aβ plaques and neuroinflammation we re remarkably reduced,the expression of HTR3 was remarkably decreased and the calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cell 4 signaling pathway was inhibited in treated model mice.These findings suggest that HTR3A interneurons partly contribute to generation of Aβ peptide at the initial stage of Alzheimer’s disease and inhibiting HTR3 partly reve rses the pathological changes of Alzheimer’s disease.
