Novel Mouse Tauopathy Model for Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Evaluation of Long-Term Effects on Cognition and Biomarker Levels After Therapeutic Inhibition of Tau Phosphorylation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a risk factor for a group of neurodegenerative diseases termed tauopathies, which includes Alzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Although TBI is stratified by impact severity as either mild (m), moderate or severe, mTBI is the most common and the most difficult to diagnose. Tauopathies are pathologically related by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau (P-tau) and increased total tau (T-tau). Here we describe: (i) a novel human tau-expressing transgenic mouse model, TghTau/PS1, to study repetitive mild closed head injury (rmCHI), (ii) quantitative comparison of T-tau and P-tau from brain and plasma in TghTau/PS1 mice over a 12 month period following rmCHI (and sham), (iii) the usefulness of P-tau as an early- and late-stage blood-based biochemical biomarker for rmCHI, (iii) the influence of kinase-targeted therapeutic intervention on rmCHI-associated cognitive deficits using a combination of lithium chloride (LiCl) and R-roscovitine (ros), and (iv) correlation of behavioral and cognitive changes with concentrations of the brain and blood-based T-tau and P-tau. Compared to sham-treated mice, behavior changes and cognitive deficits of rmCHI-treated TghTau/PS1 mice correlated with increases in both cortex and plasma T-tau and P-tau levels over 12 months. In addition, T-tau, but more predominantly P-tau, levels were significantly reduced in the cortex and plasma by LiCl + ros approaching the biomarker levels in sham and drug-treated sham mice (the drugs had only modest effects on the T-tau and P-tau levels in sham mice) throughout the 12 month study period. Furthermore, although we also observed a reversal of the abnormal behavior and cognitive deficits in the drug-treated rmCHI mice (compared to the untreated rmCHI mice) throughout the time course, these drug-treated effects were most pronounced up until 10 and 12 months where the abnormal behavior and cognition deficits began to gradually increase. These studies describe: (a) a translational relevant animal model for TBI-linked tauopathies, and (b) utilization of T-tau and P-tau as rmCHI biomarkers in plasma to monitor novel therapeutic strategies and treatment regimens for these neurodegenerative diseases.

Induction of Amyloid-ß42 Production by Fipronil and Other Pyrazole Insecticides.

Generation of amyloid-ß peptides (Aßs) by proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid-ß protein precursor (AßPP), especially increased production of Aß42/Aß43 over Aß40, and their aggregation as oligomers and plaques, represent a characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In familial AD (FAD), altered Aß production originates from specific mutations of AßPP or presenilins 1/2 (PS1/PS2), the catalytic subunits of γ-secretase. In sporadic AD, the origin of altered production of Aßs remains unknown. We hypothesize that the 'human chemical exposome' contains products able to favor the production of Aß42/Aß43 over Aß40 and shorter Aßs. To detect such products, we screened a library of 3500 + compounds in a cell-based assay for enhanced Aß42/Aß43 production. Nine pyrazole insecticides were found to induce a ß- and γ-secretase-dependent, 3-10-fold increase in the production of extracellular Aß42 in various cell lines and neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells derived from healthy and FAD patients. Immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry analyses showed increased production of Aßs cleaved at positions 42/43, and reduced production of peptides cleaved at positions 38 and shorter. Strongly supporting a direct effect on γ-secretase activity, pyrazoles shifted the cleavage pattern of another γ-secretase substrate, alcadeinα, and shifted the cleavage of AßPP by highly purified γ-secretase toward Aß42/Aß43. Focusing on fipronil, we showed that some of its metabolites, in particular the persistent fipronil sulfone, also favor the production of Aß42/Aß43 in both cell-based and cell-free systems. Fipronil administered orally to mice and rats is known to be metabolized rapidly, mostly to fipronil sulfone, which stably accumulates in adipose tissue and brain. In conclusion, several widely used pyrazole insecticides enhance the production of toxic, aggregation prone Aß42/Aß43 peptides, suggesting the possible existence of environmental "Alzheimerogens" which may contribute to the initiation and propagation of the amyloidogenic process in sporadic AD.

Marine-Derived 2-Aminoimidazolone Alkaloids. Leucettamine B-Related Polyandrocarpamines Inhibit Mammalian and Protozoan DYRK & CLK Kinases.

A large diversity of 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids is produced by various marine invertebrates, especially by the marine Calcareous sponges Leucetta and Clathrina. The phylogeny of these sponges and the wide scope of 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids they produce are reviewed in this article. The origin (invertebrate cells, associated microorganisms, or filtered plankton), physiological functions, and natural molecular targets of these alkaloids are largely unknown. Following the identification of leucettamine B as an inhibitor of selected protein kinases, we synthesized a family of analogues, collectively named leucettines, as potent inhibitors of DYRKs (dual-specificity, tyrosine phosphorylation regulated kinases) and CLKs (cdc2-like kinases) and potential pharmacological leads for the treatment of several diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. We assembled a small library of marine sponge- and ascidian-derived 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids, along with several synthetic analogues, and tested them on a panel of mammalian and protozoan kinases. Polyandrocarpamines A and B were found to be potent and selective inhibitors of DYRKs and CLKs. They inhibited cyclin D1 phosphorylation on a DYRK1A phosphosite in cultured cells. 2-Aminoimidazolones thus represent a promising chemical scaffold for the design of potential therapeutic drug candidates acting as specific inhibitors of disease-relevant kinases, and possibly other disease-relevant targets.

Specific Triazine Herbicides Induce Amyloid-ß42 Production.

Proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid-ß protein precursor (AßPP) by secretases leads to extracellular release of amyloid-ß (Aß) peptides. Increased production of Aß42 over Aß40 and aggregation into oligomers and plaques constitute an Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmark. Identifying products of the 'human chemical exposome' (HCE) able to induce Aß42 production may be a key to understanding some of the initiating causes of AD and to generate non-genetic, chemically-induced AD animal models. A cell model was used to screen HCE libraries for Aß42 inducers. Out of 3500+ compounds, six triazine herbicides were found that induced a ß- and γ-secretases-dependent, 2-10 fold increase in the production of extracellular Aß42 in various cell lines, primary neuronal cells, and neurons differentiated from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry analyses show enhanced production of Aß peptides cleaved at positions 42/43, and reduced production of peptides cleaved at positions 38 and lower, a characteristic of AD. Neurons derived from iPSCs obtained from a familial AD (FAD) patient (AßPP K724N) produced more Aß42 versus Aß40 than neurons derived from healthy controls iPSCs (AßPP WT). Triazines enhanced Aß42 production in both control and AD iPSCs-derived neurons. Triazines also shifted the cleavage pattern of alcadeinα, another γ-secretase substrate, suggesting a direct effect of triazines on γ-secretase activity. In conclusion, several widely used triazines enhance the production of toxic, aggregation prone Aß42/Aß43 amyloids, suggesting the possible existence of environmental "Alzheimerogens" which may contribute to the initiation and propagation of the amyloidogenic process in late-onset AD.