RESUMEN
Chiral cyclopropanols are highly desirable building blocks for medicinal chemistry, but the stereoselective synthesis of these molecules remains challenging. Here, a novel strategy is reported for the diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of cyclopropanol derivatives via the biocatalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation of vinyl esters with ethyl diazoacetate (EDA). A dehaloperoxidase enzyme from Amphitrite ornata was repurposed to catalyze this challenging cyclopropanation reaction, and its activity and stereoselectivity were optimized via protein engineering. Using this system, a broad range of electron-deficient vinyl esters were efficiently converted to the desired cyclopropanation products with up to 99.5:0.5 diastereomeric and enantiomeric ratios. In addition, the engineered dehaloperoxidase-based biocatalyst is able to catalyze a variety of other abiological carbene transfer reactions, including N-H/S-H carbene insertion with EDA as well as cyclopropanation with diazoacetonitrile, thus adding to the multifunctionality of this enzyme and defining it as a valuable new scaffold for the development of novel carbene transferases.
Asunto(s)
Ésteres , Biocatálisis , CatálisisRESUMEN
Anxiety is a mental disorder with a growing worldwide incidence due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic. Pharmacological therapy includes drugs such as benzodiazepines (BDZs) or azapirones like buspirone (BUSP) or analogs, which unfortunately produce severe adverse effects or no immediate response, respectively. Medicinal plants or their bioactive metabolites are a shared global alternative to treat anxiety. Palmitone is one active compound isolated from Annona species due to its tranquilizing activity. However, its influence on neural activity and possible mechanism of action are unknown. In this study, an electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power analysis was used to corroborate its depressant activity in comparison with the anxiolytic-like effects of reference drugs such as diazepam (DZP, 1 mg/kg) and BUSP (4 mg/kg) or 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg), alone or in the presence of the GABAA (picrotoxin, PTX, 1 mg/kg) or serotonin 5-HT1A receptor antagonists (WAY100634, WAY, 1 mg/kg). The anxiolytic-like activity was assayed using the behavioral response of mice employing open-field, hole-board, and plus-maze tests. EEG activity was registered in both the frontal and parietal cortex, performing a 10 min baseline and 30 min recording after the treatments. As a result, anxiety-like behavior was significantly decreased in mice administered with palmitone, DZP, BUSP, or 8-OH-DPAT. The effect of palmitone was equivalent to that produced by 5-HT1A receptor agonists but 50% less effective than DZP. The presence of PTX and WAY prevented the anxiolytic-like response of DZP and 8-OH-DPAT, respectively. Whereas only the antagonist of the 5-HT1A receptor (WAY) inhibited the palmitone effects. Palmitone and BUSP exhibited similar changes in the relative power bands after the spectral power analysis. This response was different to the changes induced by DZP. In conclusion, brain electrical activity was associated with the anxiolytic-like effects of palmitone implying a serotoninergic rather than a GABAergic mechanism of action.
Asunto(s)
Ansiolíticos , COVID-19 , Ratones , Animales , Ansiolíticos/farmacología , Ansiolíticos/uso terapéutico , Buspirona/farmacología , Diazepam/farmacología , Receptor de Serotonina 5-HT1A , 8-Hidroxi-2-(di-n-propilamino)tetralin/farmacología , SARS-CoV-2 , Agonistas de Receptores de Serotonina/farmacología , ElectroencefalografíaRESUMEN
Enhancing the thermostability of enzymes without impacting their catalytic function represents an important yet challenging goal in protein engineering and biocatalysis. We recently introduced a novel method for enzyme thermostabilization that relies on the computationally guided installation of genetically encoded thioether "staples" into a protein via cysteine alkylation with the noncanonical amino acid O-2-bromoethyl tyrosine (O2beY). Here, we demonstrate the functionality of an expanded set of electrophilic amino acids featuring chloroacetamido, acrylamido, and vinylsulfonamido side-chain groups for protein stapling using this strategy. Using a myoglobin-based cyclopropanase as a model enzyme, our studies show that covalent stapling with p-chloroacetamido-phenylalanine (pCaaF) provides higher stapling efficiency and enhanced stability (thermodynamic and kinetic) compared to the other stapled variants and the parent protein. Interestingly, molecular simulations of conformational flexibility of the cross-links show that the pCaaF staple allows fewer energetically feasible conformers than the other staples, and this property may be a broader indicator of stability enhancement. Using this strategy, pCaaF-stapled variants with significantly enhanced stability against thermal denaturation (ΔTm' = +27 °C) and temperature-induced heme loss (ΔT50 = +30 °C) were obtained while maintaining high levels of catalytic activity and stereoselectivity. Crystallographic analyses of singly and doubly stapled variants provide key insights into the structural basis for stabilization, which includes both direct interactions of the staples with protein residues and indirect interactions through adjacent residues involved in heme binding. This work expands the toolbox of protein stapling strategies available for protein stabilization.
RESUMEN
Alzheimer's disease (AD) causes progressive age-related defects in memory and cognitive function and has emerged as a major health and socio-economic concern in the US and worldwide. To develop effective therapeutic treatments for AD, we need to better understand the neural mechanisms by which AD causes memory loss and cognitive deficits. Here we examine large-scale hippocampal neural population calcium activities imaged at single cell resolution in a triple-transgenic Alzheimer's disease mouse model (3xTg-AD) that presents both amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary pathological features along with age-related behavioral defects. To measure encoding of environmental location in hippocampal neural ensembles in the 3xTg-AD mice in vivo, we performed GCaMP6-based calcium imaging using head-mounted, miniature fluorescent microscopes ("miniscopes") on freely moving animals. We compared hippocampal CA1 excitatory neural ensemble activities during open-field exploration and track-based route-running behaviors in age-matched AD and control mice at young (3-6.5 months old) and old (18-21 months old) ages. During open-field exploration, 3xTg-AD CA1 excitatory cells display significantly higher calcium activity rates compared with Non-Tg controls for both the young and old age groups, suggesting that in vivo enhanced neuronal calcium ensemble activity is a disease feature. CA1 neuronal populations of 3xTg-AD mice show lower spatial information scores compared with control mice. The spatial firing of CA1 neurons of old 3xTg-AD mice also displays higher sparsity and spatial coherence, indicating less place specificity for spatial representation. We find locomotor speed significantly modulates the amplitude of hippocampal neural calcium ensemble activities to a greater extent in 3xTg-AD mice during open field exploration. Our data offer new and comprehensive information about age-dependent neural circuit activity changes in this important AD mouse model and provide strong evidence that spatial coding defects in the neuronal population activities are associated with AD pathology and AD-related memory behavioral deficits.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Hipocampo , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/patología , Precursor de Proteína beta-Amiloide/metabolismo , Animales , Calcio , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Hipocampo/patología , Ratones , Ratones Transgénicos , Proteínas tau/metabolismoRESUMEN
Defects in interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-mediated cellular responses contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD). To decipher the mechanism associated with its pathogenesis, we investigated the molecular events associated with the termination of IL-1ß inflammatory responses by focusing on the role played by the target of Myb1 (TOM1), a negative regulator of the interleukin-1ß receptor-1 (IL-1R1). We first show that TOM1 steady-state levels are reduced in human AD hippocampi and in the brain of an AD mouse model versus respective controls. Experimentally reducing TOM1 affected microglia activity, substantially increased amyloid-beta levels, and impaired cognition, whereas enhancing its levels was therapeutic. These data show that reparation of the TOM1-signaling pathway represents a therapeutic target for brain inflammatory disorders such as AD. A better understanding of the age-related changes in the immune system will allow us to craft therapies to limit detrimental aspects of inflammation, with the broader purpose of sharply reducing the number of people afflicted by AD.
RESUMEN
Alzheimer's disease (AD) constitutes the most prominent form of dementia among elderly individuals worldwide. Disease modeling using murine transgenic mice was first initiated thanks to the discovery of heritable mutations in amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilins (PS) genes. However, due to the repeated failure of translational applications from animal models to human patients, along with the recent advances in genetic susceptibility and our current understanding on disease biology, these models have evolved over time in an attempt to better reproduce the complexity of this devastating disease and improve their applicability. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview about the major pathological elements of human AD (plaques, tauopathy, synaptic damage, neuronal death, neuroinflammation and glial dysfunction), discussing the knowledge that available mouse models have provided about the mechanisms underlying human disease. Moreover, we highlight the pros and cons of current models, and the revolution offered by the concomitant use of transgenic mice and omics technologies that may lead to a more rapid improvement of the present modeling battery.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Anciano , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Precursor de Proteína beta-Amiloide/genética , Animales , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Humanos , Ratones , Ratones Transgénicos , Placa AmiloideRESUMEN
Recent years have witnessed a rapid increase in the application of enzymes for chemical synthesis and manufacturing, including the industrial-scale synthesis of pharmaceuticals using multienzyme processes. From an operational standpoint, these bioprocesses often require robust biocatalysts capable of tolerating high concentrations of organic solvents and possessing long shelflife stability. In this work, we investigated the activity and stability of myoglobin (Mb)-based carbene transfer biocatalysts in the presence of organic solvents and after lyophilization. Our studies demonstrate that Mb-based cyclopropanases possess remarkable organic solvent stability, maintaining high levels of activity and stereoselectivity in the presence of up to 30%-50% (v/v) concentrations of various organic solvents, including ethanol, methanol, N,N-dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide. Furthermore, they tolerate long-term storage in lyophilized form, both as purified protein and as whole cells, without significant loss in activity and stereoselectivity. These stability properties are shared by Mb-based carbene transferases optimized for other type of asymmetric carbene transfer reactions. Finally, we report on simple protocols for catalyst recycling as whole-cell system and for obviating the need for strictly anaerobic conditions to perform these transformations. These findings demonstrate the robustness of Mb-based carbene transferases under operationally relevant conditions and should help guide the application of these biocatalysts for synthetic applications.
Asunto(s)
Biocatálisis , Metano/análogos & derivados , Mioglobina/química , Metano/química , Estabilidad Proteica , Solventes/químicaRESUMEN
Robots have begun to populate the everyday environments of human beings. These social robots must perform their tasks without disturbing the people with whom they share their environment. This paper proposes a navigation algorithm for robots that is acceptable to people. Robots will detect the personal areas of humans, to carry out their tasks, generating navigation routes that have less impact on human activities. The main novelty of this work is that the robot will perceive the moods of people to adjust the size of proxemic areas. This work will contribute to making the presence of robots in human-populated environments more acceptable. As a result, we have integrated this approach into a cognitive architecture designed to perform tasks in human-populated environments. The paper provides quantitative experimental results in two scenarios: controlled, including social navigation metrics in comparison with a traditional navigation method, and non-controlled, in robotic competitions where different studies of social robotics are measured.
Asunto(s)
Ciencias de la Conducta/tendencias , Cognición , Robótica/tendencias , Algoritmos , HumanosRESUMEN
RATIONALE: The use of electrical stimulation therapy to treat epilepsy is currently being studied in experimental animals and patients. Our study was designed to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation applied in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) on the development of pentylentetrazole-induced seizures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experiments were performed using male Wistar rats with electrodes stereotaxically implanted in the left TRN. Epidural EEG recording screws were implanted in the motor cortex for EEG recording. The rats were classified in seven groups: one sham group, four groups receiving either high- or low-frequency preemptive stimulation for either 10 or 60 minutes, and two groups receiving either high- or low-frequency responsive stimulation for ten minutes. All animals received a single dose of pentylentetrazole throughout five days. EEG recordings were obtained from the cortex and were evaluated to assess ictal behavior more than 45 to 90 minutes. RESULTS: Ten minutes of preemptive high-frequency stimulation in the TRN induced a significant decrease in seizure severity compared to 60 minutes of preemptive stimulation and ten minutes of responsive stimulation. Additionally, ten minutes of preemptive high-frequency stimulation protected against death as aftereffect of status epilepticus. The spike-wave complex frequency was not modified. CONCLUSIONS: These data could contribute to the characterization of the TRN in mediating the initiation and spreading of seizure activity and provide preclinical support for optimal parameters to use to obtain beneficial effects against convulsive activity.
Asunto(s)
Estimulación Encefálica Profunda/métodos , Pentilenotetrazol/toxicidad , Convulsiones/inducido químicamente , Convulsiones/terapia , Núcleos Talámicos , Animales , Masculino , Distribución Aleatoria , Ratas , Ratas Wistar , Convulsiones/fisiopatología , Núcleos Talámicos/fisiopatología , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
2,3-Dihydrobenzofurans are key pharmacophores in many natural and synthetic bioactive molecules. A biocatalytic strategy is reported here for the highly diastereo- and enantioselective construction of stereochemically rich 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans in high enantiopurity (>99.9% de and ee), high yields, and on a preparative scale via benzofuran cyclopropanation with engineered myoglobins. Computational and structure-reactivity studies provide insights into the mechanism of this reaction, enabling the elaboration of a stereochemical model that can rationalize the high stereoselectivity of the biocatalyst. This information was leveraged to implement a highly stereoselective route to a drug molecule and a tricyclic scaffold featuring five stereogenic centers via a single-enzyme transformation. This work expands the biocatalytic toolbox for asymmetric C-C bond transformations and should prove useful for further development of metalloprotein catalysts for abiotic carbene transfer reactions.
Asunto(s)
Benzofuranos/química , Biocatálisis , Modelos Moleculares , Estructura Molecular , Mioglobina/química , Mioglobina/metabolismo , Conformación Proteica , TermodinámicaRESUMEN
In the aged brain, synaptic plasticity and memory show increased vulnerability to impairment by the inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß). In this study, we evaluated the possibility that synapses may directly undergo maladaptive changes with age that augment sensitivity to IL-1ß impairment. In hippocampal neuronal cultures, IL-1ß increased the expression of the IL-1 receptor type 1 and the accessory coreceptor AcP (proinflammatory), but not of the AcPb (prosurvival) subunit, a reconfiguration that potentiates the responsiveness of neurons to IL-1ß. To evaluate whether synapses develop a similar heightened sensitivity to IL-1ß with age, we used an assay to track long-term potentiation (LTP) in synaptosomes. We found that IL-1ß impairs LTP directly at the synapse and that sensitivity to IL-1ß is augmented in aged hippocampal synapses. The increased synaptic sensitivity to IL-1ß was due to IL-1 receptor subunit reconfiguration, characterized by a shift in the AcP/AcPb ratio, paralleling our culture data. We suggest that the age-related increase in brain IL-1ß levels drives a shift in IL-1 receptor configuration, thus heightening the sensitivity to IL-1ß. Accordingly, selective blocking of AcP-dependent signaling with Toll-IL-1 receptor domain peptidomimetics prevented IL-1ß-mediated LTP suppression and blocked the memory impairment induced in aged mice by peripheral immune challenge (bacterial lipopolysaccharide). Overall, this study demonstrates that increased AcP signaling, specifically at the synapse, underlies the augmented vulnerability to cognitive impairment by IL-1ß that occurs with age.
Asunto(s)
Interleucina-1beta/farmacología , Neuronas/efectos de los fármacos , Receptores Tipo I de Interleucina-1/metabolismo , Sinapsis/metabolismo , Factores de Edad , Animales , Western Blotting , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/metabolismo , Células Cultivadas , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Hipocampo/citología , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Proteína Accesoria del Receptor de Interleucina-1/genética , Proteína Accesoria del Receptor de Interleucina-1/metabolismo , Potenciación a Largo Plazo/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones de la Cepa 129 , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Plasticidad Neuronal/efectos de los fármacos , Neuronas/metabolismo , Interferencia de ARN , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Receptores Tipo I de Interleucina-1/genética , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Sinaptosomas/efectos de los fármacos , Sinaptosomas/metabolismoRESUMEN
Functionalized indoles are recurrent motifs in bioactive natural products and pharmaceuticals. While transition metal-catalyzed carbene transfer has provided an attractive route to afford C3-functionalized indoles, these protocols are viable only in the presence of N-protected indoles, owing to competition from the more facile N-H insertion reaction. Herein, a biocatalytic strategy for enabling the direct C-H functionalization of unprotected indoles is reported. Engineered variants of myoglobin provide efficient biocatalysts for this reaction, which has no precedents in the biological world, enabling the transformation of a broad range of indoles in the presence of ethyl α-diazoacetate to give the corresponding C3-functionalized derivatives in high conversion yields and excellent chemoselectivity. This strategy could be exploited to develop a concise chemoenzymatic route to afford the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin.
Asunto(s)
Indoles/metabolismo , Mioglobina/metabolismo , Biocatálisis , Catálisis , Indoles/química , Estructura Molecular , Mioglobina/químicaRESUMEN
We quantify the emergent complexity of quantum states near quantum critical points on regular 1D lattices, via complex network measures based on quantum mutual information as the adjacency matrix, in direct analogy to quantifying the complexity of electroencephalogram or functional magnetic resonance imaging measurements of the brain. Using matrix product state methods, we show that network density, clustering, disparity, and Pearson's correlation obtain the critical point for both quantum Ising and Bose-Hubbard models to a high degree of accuracy in finite-size scaling for three classes of quantum phase transitions, Z_{2}, mean field superfluid to Mott insulator, and a Berzinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless crossover.
RESUMEN
The small, stable heme protein myoglobin (Mb) was modified through cofactor substitution and mutagenesis to develop a new catalyst for carbene transfer reactions. The native heme was removed from wild-type Mb and several Mb His64 mutants (H64D, H64A, H64V), and the resulting apoproteins were reconstituted with ruthenium mesoporphyrin IX (RuMpIX). The reconstituted proteins (RuMb) were characterized by UV-vis and circular dichroism spectroscopy and were used as catalysts for the N-H insertion of aniline derivatives and the cyclopropanation of styrene derivatives. The best catalysts for each reaction were able to achieve turnover numbers (TON) up to 520 for the N-H insertion of aniline, and 350 TON for the cyclopropanation of vinyl anisole. Our results show that RuMb is an effective catalyst for N-H insertion, with the potential to further increase the activity and stereoselectivity of the catalyst in future studies. Compared to native Mb ("FeMb"), RuMb is a more active catalyst for carbene transfer reactions, which leads to both heme and protein modification and degradation and, hence, to an overall much-reduced lifetime of the catalyst. This leads to lower TONs for RuMb compared to the iron-containing analogues. Strategies to overcome this limitation are discussed. Finally, comparison is also made to FeH64DMb and FeH64AMb, which have not been previously investigated for carbene transfer reactions.
Asunto(s)
Complejos de Coordinación/química , Metano/análogos & derivados , Mioglobina/química , Ingeniería de Proteínas , Catálisis , Metano/química , Estructura Molecular , Mioglobina/genéticaRESUMEN
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder that impairs memory and other cognitive functions in the elderly. The social and financial impacts of AD are overwhelming and are escalating exponentially as a result of population aging. Therefore, identifying AD-related risk factors and the development of more efficacious therapeutic approaches are critical to cure this neurological disorder. Current epidemiological evidence indicates that life experiences, including chronic stress, are a risk for AD. However, it is unknown if short-term stress, lasting for hours, influences the onset or progression of AD. Here, we determined the effect of short-term, multi-modal 'modern life-like' stress on AD pathogenesis and synaptic plasticity in mice bearing three AD mutations (the 3xTg-AD mouse model). We found that combined emotional and physical stress lasting 5 h severely impaired memory in wild-type mice and tended to impact it in already low-performing 3xTg-AD mice. This stress reduced the number of synapse-bearing dendritic spines in 3xTg-AD mice and increased Aß levels by augmenting AßPP processing. Thus, short-term stress simulating modern-life conditions may exacerbate cognitive deficits in preclinical AD by accelerating amyloid pathology and reducing synapse numbers. Epidemiological evidence indicates that life experiences, including chronic stress, are a risk for Alzheimer disease (AD). However, it is unknown if short stress in the range of hours influences the onset or progression of AD. Here, we determined the effect of short, multi-modal 'modern-lifelike'stress on AD pathogenesis and synaptic plasticity in mice bearing three AD mutations (the 3xTg-AD mouse model). We found that combined emotional and physical stress lasting 5 h severely impaired memory in wild-type mice and tended to impact it in already low-performing 3xTg-AD mice. This stress reduced the number of synapse-bearing dendritic spines in 3xTg-AD mice and increased Aß levels by augmenting AßPP processing. Thus, short stress simulating modern-life conditions may exacerbate cognitive deficits in preclinical AD by accelerating amyloid pathology and reducing synapse numbers.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer/psicología , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Ruido/efectos adversos , Estrés Psicológico/complicaciones , Vibración/efectos adversos , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/genética , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/patología , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/genética , Animales , Células Cultivadas , Corticosterona/sangre , Hormona Liberadora de Corticotropina/fisiología , Dendritas/metabolismo , Dendritas/patología , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Emociones , Conducta Exploratoria , Glucocorticoides/fisiología , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Transgénicos , Plasticidad Neuronal , Reconocimiento en Psicología , Estrés Psicológico/metabolismo , Estrés Psicológico/patología , Sinapsis/patología , Proteínas tau/genéticaRESUMEN
Patients affected by diabetes show an increased risk of developing Alzheimer disease (AD). Similarly, patients with AD show impaired insulin function and glucose metabolism. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms connecting these two disorders are still not well understood. Herein, we investigated the microtubule-associated protein tau as a new link between AD and diabetes. To determine whether diabetes causes cognitive decline by a tau-dependent mechanism, we treated non-transgenic (Ntg) and tau-knockout mice with streptozotocin, causing type 1 diabetes-like disease (T1D). Interestingly, although induction of T1D in Ntg mice led to cellular and behavioral deficits, it did not do so in tau-knockout mice. Thus, data suggest that tau is a fundamental mediator of the induction of cognitive impairments in T1D. Tau dysregulation, which causes a reduction in synaptic protein levels, may be responsible for the cognitive decline observed in Ntg streptozotocin-treated mice. Concomitantly, we demonstrate the novel finding that depletion of endogenous tau mitigates behavioral impairment and synaptic deficits induced in T1D-like mice. Overall, our data reveal that tau is a key molecular factor responsible for the induction of cognitive deficits observed in T1D and represents a potential therapeutic target for diabetes and patients with AD.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer/etiología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/etiología , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/complicaciones , Insulina/metabolismo , Proteínas tau/metabolismo , Animales , Cognición , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Noqueados , Ratones Transgénicos , Estreptozocina/metabolismo , Proteínas tau/genéticaRESUMEN
Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with associated memory loss, spatial disorientation, and other psychiatric problems. Cholinergic system dysfunction is an early and salient feature of AD, and enhancing cholinergic signaling with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors is currently the primary strategy for improving cognition. The beneficial effects of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, however, are typically short-lived and accompanied by adverse effects. Recent evidence suggests that activating α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChR) may facilitate the specific modulation of brain cholinergic signaling, leading to cognitive enhancement and possibly to amelioration of AD pathologic findings. In the present study, we determined the effect of long-term treatment with the selective α7 nAChR agonist A-582941 in aged 3xTg-AD mice with robust AD-like pathology, which is particularly significant not only because this is the only mouse model that co-develops amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles but also because it enabled us to explore whether A-582941 is able to restore brain function after the severe damage associated with AD. Analysis of ß-amyloid deposits, tau phosphorylation, and inflammatory cells revealed that, overall, pathologic findings were unchanged. Rather, α7 nAChR activation induced expression of c-Fos and brain-derived neurotrophic factor and phosphorylation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding and neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase type 2. More important, A-582941 completely restored cognition in aged 3xTg-AD mice to the level of that in age-matched nontransgenic mice. These novel findings indicate that activating α7 nAChR is a promising treatment for cognitive impairment in AD.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento/patología , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/patología , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/fisiopatología , Cognición/efectos de los fármacos , Ovillos Neurofibrilares/patología , Placa Amiloide/patología , Receptor Nicotínico de Acetilcolina alfa 7/agonistas , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Péptidos beta-Amiloides , Animales , Encéfalo/efectos de los fármacos , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Encéfalo/patología , Encéfalo/fisiopatología , Humanos , Inflamación/metabolismo , Inflamación/patología , Masculino , Memoria/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones , Ratones Transgénicos , Ovillos Neurofibrilares/efectos de los fármacos , Nootrópicos/farmacología , Fosforilación/efectos de los fármacos , Placa Amiloide/metabolismo , Placa Amiloide/fisiopatología , Piridazinas/farmacología , Pirroles/farmacología , Receptor Nicotínico de Acetilcolina alfa 7/metabolismo , Proteínas tau/metabolismoRESUMEN
Recent studies on tauopathy animal models suggest that the concomitant expression of the endogenous murine tau delays the pathological accumulation of human tau, and interferes with the disease progression. To elucidate the role of endogenous murine tau in a model with both plaques and tangles, we developed a novel transgenic mouse model by crossing 3xTg-AD with mtauKO mice (referred to as 3xTg-AD/mtauKO mice). Therefore, this new model allows us to determine the pathological consequences of the murine tau. Here, we show that 3xTg-AD/mtauKO mice have lower tau loads in both soluble and insoluble fractions, and lower tau hyperphosphorylation level in the soluble fraction relative to 3xTg-AD mice. In the 3xTg-AD model endogenous mouse tau is hyperphosphorylated and significantly co-aggregates with human tau. Despite the deletion of the endogenous tau gene in 3xTg-AD/mtauKO mice, cognitive dysfunction was equivalent to 3xTg-AD mice, as there was no additional impairment on a spatial memory task, and thus despite increased tau phosphorylation, accumulation and NFTs in 3xTg-AD mice no further effects on cognition are seen. These findings provide better understanding about the role of endogenous tau to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology and for developing new AD models.
Asunto(s)
Cognición/fisiología , Ovillos Neurofibrilares/metabolismo , Proteínas tau/metabolismo , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/genética , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Precursor de Proteína beta-Amiloide/metabolismo , Animales , Femenino , Hipocampo/fisiopatología , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , Fosforilación , Proteínas tau/genéticaRESUMEN
Microglia play an essential role in innate immunity, homeostasis, and neurotropic support in the central nervous system. In Alzheimer disease (AD), these cells may affect disease progression by modulating the buildup of ß-amyloid (Aß) or releasing proinflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic substances. Discovering agents capable of increasing Aß uptake by phagocytic cells is of potential therapeutic interest for AD. Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) is an endogenous lipid mediator with potent anti-inflammatory properties directly involved in inflammatory resolution, an active process essential for appropriate host responses, tissue protection, and the return to homeostasis. Herein, we demonstrate that aspirin-triggered LXA4 (15 µg/kg) s.c., twice a day, reduced NF-κB activation and levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as increased levels of anti-inflammatory IL-10 and transforming growth factor-ß. Such changes in the cerebral milieu resulted in recruitment of microglia in an alternative phenotype, as characterized by the up-regulation of YM1 and arginase-1 and the down-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. Microglia in an alternative phenotype-positive cells demonstrated improved phagocytic function, promoting clearance of Aß deposits and ultimately leading to reduction in synaptotoxicity and improvement in cognition. Our data indicate that activating LXA4 signaling may represent a novel therapeutic approach for AD.