| 1. |
- Ramakrishna, Sarayu, et al.
(författare)
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APOE4 affects basal and NMDAR mediated protein synthesis in neurons by perturbing calcium homeostasis
- 2021
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Ingår i: The Journal of Neuroscience. - 1529-2401. ; 41:42, s. 8686-8709
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Apolipoprotein E (APOE), one of the primary lipoproteins in the brain has three isoforms in humans - APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. APOE4 is the most well-established risk factor increasing the pre-disposition for Alzheimer's disease. The presence of the APOE4 allele alone is shown to cause synaptic defects in neurons and recent studies have identified multiple pathways directly influenced by APOE4. However, the mechanisms underlying APOE4 induced synaptic dysfunction remain elusive. Here, we report that the acute exposure of primary cortical neurons or synaptoneurosomes to APOE4 leads to a significant decrease in global protein synthesis. Primary cortical neurons were derived from male and female embryos of Sprague-Dawley rats or C57BL/6J mice. Synaptoneurosomes were prepared from P30 male Sprague-Dawley rats. APOE4 treatment also abrogates the NMDA mediated translation response indicating an alteration of synaptic signaling. Importantly, we demonstrate that both APOE3 and APOE4 generate a distinct translation response which is closely linked to their respective calcium signature. Acute exposure of neurons to APOE3 causes a short burst of calcium through NMDARs leading to an initial decrease in protein synthesis which quickly recovers. Contrarily, APOE4 leads to a sustained increase in calcium levels by activating both NMDARs and L-VGCCs, thereby causing sustained translation inhibition through eEF2 phosphorylation, which in turn disrupts the NMDAR response. Thus, we show that APOE4 affects basal and activity mediated protein synthesis responses in neurons by affecting calcium homeostasis.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTDefective protein synthesis has been shown as an early defect in familial Alzheimer's disease. However, this has not been studied in the context of sporadic Alzheimer's disease, which constitutes the majority of cases. In our study, we show that APOE4, the predominant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, inhibits global protein synthesis in neurons. APOE4 also affects NMDA activity mediated protein synthesis response, thus inhibiting synaptic translation. We also show that the defective protein synthesis mediated by APOE4 is closely linked to the perturbation of calcium homeostasis caused by APOE4 in neurons. Thus, we propose the dysregulation of protein synthesis as one of the possible molecular mechanisms to explain APOE4 mediated synaptic and cognitive defects. Hence, the study not only suggests an explanation for the APOE4 mediated pre-disposition to Alzheimer's disease, it also bridges the gap in understanding APOE4 mediated pathology.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Emelie, et al.
(författare)
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Cerebral Aβ deposition precedes reduced cerebrospinal fluid and serum Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios in the App NL−F/NL−F knock-in mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
- 2023
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Ingår i: Alzheimer's Research and Therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1758-9193. ; 15:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood are reduced in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but their temporal and correlative relationship with cerebral Aβ pathology at this early disease stage is not well understood. In the present study, we aim to investigate such relationships using App knock-in mouse models of preclinical AD. Methods: CSF, serum, and brain tissue were collected from 3- to 18-month-old AppNL−F/NL−F knock-in mice (n = 48) and 2–18-month-old AppNL/NL knock-in mice (n = 35). The concentrations of Aβ42 and Aβ40 in CSF and serum were measured using Single molecule array (Simoa) immunoassays. Cerebral Aβ plaque burden was assessed in brain tissue sections by immunohistochemistry and thioflavin S staining. Furthermore, the concentrations of Aβ42 in soluble and insoluble fractions prepared from cortical tissue homogenates were measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Results: In AppNL−F/NL−F knock-in mice, Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios in CSF and serum were significantly reduced from 12 and 16 months of age, respectively. The initial reduction of these biomarkers coincided with cerebral Aβ pathology, in which a more widespread Aβ plaque burden and increased levels of Aβ42 in the brain were observed from approximately 12 months of age. Accordingly, in the whole study population, Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios in CSF and serum showed a negative hyperbolic association with cerebral Aβ plaque burden as well as the levels of both soluble and insoluble Aβ42 in the brain. These associations tended to be stronger for the measures in CSF compared with serum. In contrast, no alterations in the investigated fluid biomarkers or apparent cerebral Aβ plaque pathology were found in AppNL/NL knock-in mice during the observation time. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a temporal sequence of events in AppNL−F/NL−F knock-in mice, in which initial deposition of Aβ aggregates in the brain is followed by a decline of the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio in CSF and serum once the cerebral Aβ pathology becomes significant. Our results also indicate that the investigated biomarkers were somewhat more strongly associated with measures of cerebral Aβ pathology when assessed in CSF compared with serum.
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| 3. |
- Azevedo, Carla, et al.
(författare)
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Parkinsons disease and multiple system atrophy patient iPSC-derived oligodendrocytes exhibit alpha-synuclein-induced changes in maturation and immune reactive properties
- 2022
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 119:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Limited evidence has shed light on how aSYN proteins affect the oligodendrocyte phenotype and pathogenesis in synucleinopathies that include Parkinsons disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Here, we investigated early transcriptomic changes within PD and MSA O4(+) oligodendrocyte lineage cells (OLCs) generated from patient-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We found impaired maturation of PD and MSA O4(+) OLCs compared to controls. This phenotype was associated with changes in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, the immunoproteasome subunit PSMB9, and the complement component C4b for aSYN p.A53T and MSA O4(+) OLCs, but not in SNCA(trip) O4(+) OLCs despite high levels of aSYN assembly formation. Moreover, SNCA overexpression resulted in the development of O4(+) OLCs, whereas exogenous treatment with aSYN species led to significant toxicity. Notably, transcriptome profiling of genes encoding proteins forming Lewy bodies and glial cytoplasmic inclusions revealed clustering of PD aSYN p.A53T O4(+) OLCs with MSA O4(+) OLCs. Our work identifies early phenotypic and pathogenic changes within human PD and MSA O4(+) OLCs.
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| 4. |
- Beckelman, Brenna C., et al.
(författare)
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Dysregulation of Elongation Factor 1A Expression is Correlated with Synaptic Plasticity Impairments in Alzheimer's Disease
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877. ; 54:2, s. 669-678
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Synaptic dysfunction may represent an early and crucial pathophysiology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies implicate a connection between synaptic plasticity deficits and compromised capacity of de novo protein synthesis in AD. The mRNA translational factor eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) is critically involved in several forms of long-lasting synaptic plasticity. By examining postmortem human brain samples, a transgenic mouse model, and application of synthetic human Aβ42 on mouse hippocampal slices, we demonstrated that eEF1A protein levels were significantly decreased in AD, particularly in the hippocampus. In contrast, brain levels of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 were unaltered in AD. Further, upregulation of eEF1A expression by the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin, which induces long-lasting synaptic plasticity, was blunted in hippocampal slices derived from Tg2576 AD model mice. Finally, Aβ-induced hippocampal long-term potentiation defects were alleviated by upregulation of eEF1A signaling via brain-specific knockdown of the gene encoding tuberous sclerosis 2. In summary, our findings suggest a strong correlation between the dysregulation of eEF1A synthesis and AD-associated synaptic failure. These findings provide insights into the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying AD etiology and may aid in identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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| 5. |
- Burrinha, Tatiana, et al.
(författare)
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Up-regulation of APP endocytosis by neuronal aging drives amyloid dependent-synapse loss
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Cell Science. - : The Company of Biologists. - 0021-9533 .- 1477-9137. ; 134:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neuronal aging increases the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. During normal aging, synapses decline, and β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulates intraneuronally. However, little is known about the underlying cell biological mechanisms. We studied normal neuronal aging using normal aged brain and aged mouse primary neurons that accumulate lysosomal lipofuscin and show synapse loss. We identify the up-regulation of amyloid precursor protein (APP) endocytosis as a neuronal aging mechanism that potentiates APP processing and Aβ production in vitro and in vivo. The increased APP endocytosis may contribute to the observed early endosomes enlargement in the aged brain. Mechanistically, we show that clathrin-dependent APP endocytosis requires F-actin and that clathrin and endocytic F-actin increase with neuronal aging. Finally, Aβ production inhibition reverts synaptic decline in aged neurons while Aβ accumulation, promoted by endocytosis up-regulation in younger neurons, recapitulates aging-related synapse decline. Overall, we identify APP endocytosis up-regulation as a potential mechanism of neuronal aging and, thus, a novel target to prevent late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
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| 6. |
- Byman, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Neuronal α-amylase is important for neuronal activity and glycogenolysis and reduces in presence of amyloid beta pathology
- 2021
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Ingår i: Aging Cell. - : Wiley. - 1474-9726 .- 1474-9718. ; 20:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent studies indicate a crucial role for neuronal glycogen storage and degradation in memory formation. We have previously identified alpha-amylase (α-amylase), a glycogen degradation enzyme, located within synaptic-like structures in CA1 pyramidal neurons and shown that individuals with a high copy number variation of α-amylase perform better on the episodic memory test. We reported that neuronal α-amylase was absent in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and that this loss corresponded to increased AD pathology. In the current study, we verified these findings in a larger patient cohort and determined a similar reduction in α-amylase immunoreactivity in the molecular layer of hippocampus in AD patients. Next, we demonstrated reduced α-amylase concentrations in oligomer amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42 ) stimulated SH-SY5Y cells and neurons derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) with PSEN1 mutation. Reduction of α-amylase production and activity, induced by siRNA and α-amylase inhibitor Tendamistat, respectively, was further shown to enhance glycogen load in SH-SY5Y cells. Both oligomer Aβ42 stimulated SH-SY5Y cells and hiPSC neurons with PSEN1 mutation showed, however, reduced load of glycogen. Finally, we demonstrate the presence of α-amylase within synapses of isolated primary neurons and show that inhibition of α-amylase activity with Tendamistat alters neuronal activity measured by calcium imaging. In view of these findings, we hypothesize that α-amylase has a glycogen degrading function within synapses, potentially important in memory formation. Hence, a loss of α-amylase, which can be induced by Aβ pathology, may in part underlie the disrupted memory formation seen in AD patients.
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| 7. |
- Edgar, James R, et al.
(författare)
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ESCRTs regulate amyloid precursor protein sorting in multivesicular bodies and intracellular beta amyloid accumulation.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Cell Science. - : The Company of Biologists. - 0021-9533 .- 1477-9137. ; 128:14, s. 2520-2528
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Intracellular beta amyloid (Aβ) accumulation is a key feature of early Alzheimer's disease (AD) and precedes the appearance of Aβ in extracellular plaques. Aβ is generated through proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP), but the intracellular site of Aβ production is unclear. APP has been localized to multivesicular endosomes/bodies (MVBs) where sorting of APP onto ILVs could promote amyloidogenic processing or reduce Aβ production/accumulation by sorting APP and processing products to lysosomes for degradation. We show that APP localizes to the ILVs of a subset of MVBs that also traffic EGF receptor (EGFR), and is delivered to lysosomes for degradation. Depletion of the ESCRT components, Hrs or Tsg101, inhibited targeting of APP to ILVs and the subsequent delivery to lysosomes and lead to increased intracellular Aβ accumulation. This was accompanied by dramatically decreased Aβ secretion. Thus, the early ESCRT machinery has a dual role in limiting intracellular Aβ accumulation through targeting of APP and processing products to the lysosome for degradation and promoting Aβ secretion.
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| 8. |
- Fernández-Calle, Rosalía, et al.
(författare)
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APOE in the bullseye of neurodegenerative diseases : impact of the APOE genotype in Alzheimer’s disease pathology and brain diseases
- 2022
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Ingår i: Molecular Neurodegeneration. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1750-1326. ; 17:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- ApoE is the major lipid and cholesterol carrier in the CNS. There are three major human polymorphisms, apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4, and the genetic expression of APOE4 is one of the most influential risk factors for the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neuroinflammation has become the third hallmark of AD, together with Amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated aggregated tau protein. This review aims to broadly and extensively describe the differential aspects concerning apoE. Starting from the evolution of apoE to how APOE's single-nucleotide polymorphisms affect its structure, function, and involvement during health and disease. This review reflects on how APOE's polymorphisms impact critical aspects of AD pathology, such as the neuroinflammatory response, particularly the effect of APOE on astrocytic and microglial function and microglial dynamics, synaptic function, amyloid-β load, tau pathology, autophagy, and cell-cell communication. We discuss influential factors affecting AD pathology combined with the APOE genotype, such as sex, age, diet, physical exercise, current therapies and clinical trials in the AD field. The impact of the APOE genotype in other neurodegenerative diseases characterized by overt inflammation, e.g., alpha- synucleinopathies and Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, is also addressed. Therefore, this review gathers the most relevant findings related to the APOE genotype up to date and its implications on AD and CNS pathologies to provide a deeper understanding of the knowledge in the APOE field.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Gouras, Gunnar K
(författare)
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In memoriam for M. Flint Beal
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. - 1387-2877. ; 83:1, s. 1-2
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 11. |
- Konings, Sabine C, et al.
(författare)
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Apolipoprotein E intersects with amyloid-β within neurons
- 2023
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Ingår i: Life Science Alliance. - 2575-1077. ; 6:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) is the most important genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among the earliest changes in AD is endosomal enlargement in neurons, which was reported as enhanced in ApoE4 carriers. ApoE is thought to be internalized into endosomes of neurons, whereas β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulates within neuronal endosomes early in AD. However, it remains unknown whether ApoE and Aβ intersect intracellularly. We show that internalized astrocytic ApoE localizes mostly to lysosomes in neuroblastoma cells and astrocytes, whereas in neurons, it preferentially localizes to endosomes-autophagosomes of neurites. In AD transgenic neurons, astrocyte-derived ApoE intersects intracellularly with amyloid precursor protein/Aβ. Moreover, ApoE4 increases the levels of endogenous and internalized Aβ 42 in neurons. Taken together, we demonstrate differential localization of ApoE in neurons, astrocytes, and neuron-like cells, and show that internalized ApoE intersects with amyloid precursor protein/Aβ in neurons, which may be of considerable relevance to AD.
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| 12. |
- Konings, Sabine C., et al.
(författare)
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Astrocytic and Neuronal Apolipoprotein E Isoforms Differentially Affect Neuronal Excitability
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1662-4548 .- 1662-453X. ; 15, s. 1-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Synaptic changes and neuronal network dysfunction are among the earliest changes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4), the major genetic risk factor in AD, has been shown to be present at synapses and to induce hyperexcitability in mouse knock-in brain regions vulnerable to AD. ApoE in the brain is mainly generated by astrocytes, however, neurons can also produce ApoE under stress conditions such as aging. The potential synaptic function(s) of ApoE and whether the cellular source of ApoE might affect neuronal excitability remain poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the synaptic localization and effects on neuronal activity of the two main human ApoE isoforms from different cellular sources in control and AD-like in vitro cultured neuron models. In this study ApoE is seen to localize at or near to synaptic terminals. Additionally, we detected a cellular source-specific effect of ApoE isoforms on neuronal activity measured by live cell Ca2+ imaging. Neuronal activity increases after acute but not long-term administration of ApoE4 astrocyte medium. In contrast, ApoE expressed by neurons appears to induce the highest neuronal firing rate in the presence of ApoE3, rather than ApoE4. Moreover, increased neuronal activity in APP/PS1 AD transgenic compared to wild-type neurons is seen in the absence of astrocytic ApoE and the presence of astrocytic ApoE4, but not ApoE3. In summary, ApoE can target synapses and differentially induce changes in neuronal activity depending on whether ApoE is produced by astrocytes or neurons. Astrocytic ApoE induces the strongest neuronal firing with ApoE4, while the most active and efficient neuronal activity induced by neuronal ApoE is caused by ApoE3. ApoE isoforms also differentially affect neuronal activity in AD transgenic compared to wild-type neurons.
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| 13. |
- Konings, Sabine C., et al.
(författare)
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Neurobiological role of Alzheimer's disease genetic risk factor ApoE on early synaptic changes in Alzheimer-like models
- 2021
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Ingår i: Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. - 1552-5279. ; 17:S3, s. 1-1
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The presence of an apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) genotype is the major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Astrocytes are the main source of ApoE in the brain, however ApoE can also be produced by neurons and microglia. ApoE plays a role in many cell types and processes related to AD, however, it remains unclear which mechanism(s) and cellular source of ApoE are most critical for AD. One of the earliest changes in AD are early cellular changes such as endosomal and synaptic alterations. ApoE4 has been associated with impaired endosomal trafficking and dysregulated synaptic plasticity. Neuronal hyperexcitability has been reported in mice expressing human ApoE4, a dysregulation that is also seen in AD transgenic mice. Although ApoE seems to play a crucial role in neuronal changes linked to early AD, ApoE's synaptic localization and mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, the aim is to determine the role of ApoE, in particular ApoE4, on synaptic alterations in AD models. METHOD: Mouse neurons and astrocytes are derived from wild-type, ApoE knock-out (KO), humanized ApoE3 and ApoE4 knock-in mice. Astrocyte-conditioned medium from mouse astrocytes expressing human ApoE and recombinant ApoE are used as a source for human ApoE to treat ApoE KO, wild-type and AD transgenic APP/PS1 neurons. Additionally, ApoE KO and humanized ApoE neurons are treated with synthetic Aβ or vehicle control. Analysis is performed using immunofluorescence, confocal and live cell imaging. RESULT: Exogenously added and endogenously produced human ApoE is shown to be present at neurites and synaptic terminals of cultured neurons. Differences in neuronal activity are observed among different ApoE conditions using Ca2+ live cell microscopy, both in the presence and absence of elevated human Aβ. Added recombinant and endogenous ApoE appear to be present in the endosome-lysosome system of neurons. CONCLUSION: ApoE appears to localize at synapses and endosomes, sites associated with early cellular changes in AD, and seems to play a role in neuronal excitability. Determining the neurobiology of ApoE, in particular in connection with cellular sites vulnerable to early changes in AD, can contribute to a better understanding of the role of ApoE in AD.
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| 14. |
- Martinsson, Isak, et al.
(författare)
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APP depletion alters selective pre- and post-synaptic proteins
- 2019
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Ingår i: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. - : Elsevier BV. - 1044-7431 .- 1095-9327. ; 95, s. 86-95
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The normal role of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-linked amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the brain remains incompletely understood. Previous studies have reported that lack of APP has detrimental effects on spines and electrophysiological parameters. APP has been described to be important in synaptic pruning during development. The effect of APP knockout on mature synapses is complicated by this role in development. We previously reported on differential changes in synaptic proteins and receptors in APP mutant AD transgenic compared to wild-type neurons, which revealed selective decreases in levels of pre- and post-synaptic proteins, including of surface glutamate receptors. In the present study, we undertook a similar analysis of synaptic composition but now in APP knockout compared to wild-type mouse neurons. Here we demonstrate alterations in levels of selective pre- and post-synaptic proteins and receptors in APP knockout compared to wild-type mouse primary neurons in culture and brains of mice in youth and adulthood. Remarkably, we demonstrate selective increases in levels of synaptic proteins, such as GluA1, in neurons with APP knockout and with RNAi knockdown, which tended to be opposite to the reductions seen in AD transgenic APP mutant compared to wild-type neurons. These data reinforce that APP is important for the normal composition of synapses.
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| 15. |
- Martinsson, Isak, et al.
(författare)
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Aβ/Amyloid Precursor Protein-Induced Hyperexcitability and Dysregulation of Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity in Neuron Models of Alzheimer’s Disease
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1663-4365. ; 14, s. 1-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasingly seen as a disease of synapses and diverse evidence has implicated the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) in synapse damage. The molecular and cellular mechanism(s) by which Aβ and/or its precursor protein, the amyloid precursor protein (APP) can affect synapses remains unclear. Interestingly, early hyperexcitability has been described in human AD and mouse models of AD, which precedes later hypoactivity. Here we show that neurons in culture with either elevated levels of Aβ or with human APP mutated to prevent Aβ generation can both induce hyperactivity as detected by elevated calcium transient frequency and amplitude. Since homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) mechanisms normally maintain a setpoint of activity, we examined whether HSP was altered in AD transgenic neurons. Using methods known to induce HSP, we demonstrate that APP protein levels are regulated by chronic modulation of activity and that AD transgenic neurons have an impaired adaptation of calcium transients to global changes in activity. Further, AD transgenic compared to WT neurons failed to adjust the length of their axon initial segments (AIS), an adaptation known to alter excitability. Thus, we show that both APP and Aβ influence neuronal activity and that mechanisms of HSP are disrupted in primary neuron models of AD.
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| 16. |
- Nikitidou, Elisabeth, 1987-
(författare)
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Cellular responses to amyloid-beta protofibrils : Focus on astrocytes, extracellular vesicles and antibody treatment
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Knowledge about the cellular mechanisms behind the initiation and propagation of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is limited. Decades of research have focused on neuronal abnormalities in AD, but recently more attention has been given to the glial cells. Being the most numerous glial cell type in the brain, astrocytes are important for many functions, but their role in AD is poorly understood. The aim with this thesis was to clarify the involvement of astrocytes in AD by using a co-culture system of primary neurons and glia. The co-cultures were exposed to soluble amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregates, i.e. protofibrils that are known to be particularly harmful.In Paper I, the capacity of astrocytes to ingest and degrade Aβ protofibrils was investigated. We found that astrocytes effectively ingested Aβ, but were ineffective in degrading the material. The intracellular accumulation of Aβ in astrocytes resulted in lysosomal dysfunction, high intracellular load of partly N-terminally truncated Aβ and extracellular vesicle (EV) mediated neuronal cell death.Cells can communicate by releasing cargo into EVs, but the role of EVs in the spreading of Aβ pathology is unclear. In Paper II, the protein content of EVs released specifically following Aβ protofibril exposure was analyzed. We found markedly increased levels of apolipoprotein E (apoE) in EVs from Aβ protofibril exposed co-cultures, suggesting a role for intercellular transfer of apoE in Aβ pathology.Passive immunotherapy has been suggested as a promising therapeutic strategy for AD. In Paper III, we investigated if the Aβ protofibril-selective antibody mAb158 could affect Aβ clearance in the co-culture. The mAb158 treatment reduced Aβ accumulation in astrocytes and rescued neurons from Aβ-induced cell death.In Paper IV, we explored the effect of EVs, isolated from Aβ protofibril exposed co-cultures on cultured neurons. In addition to increased cell death, we found that such EVs had a strong negative impact on the synapses, dendrites and mitochondria of the neurons.Taken together, this thesis contributes with important knowledge about the role of astrocytes in Aβ pathology, the vesicle-mediated spreading of Aβ and the effects of anti-Aβ antibody treatment.
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| 17. |
- Olsson, Tomas T., et al.
(författare)
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Prion-like seeding and nucleation of intracellular amyloid-β
- 2018
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Ingår i: Neurobiology of Disease. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-9961. ; 113, s. 1-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain tissue can act as a seed to accelerate aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) into plaques in AD transgenic mice. Aβ seeds have been hypothesized to accelerate plaque formation in a prion-like manner of templated seeding and intercellular propagation. However, the structure(s) and location(s) of the Aβ seeds remain unknown. Moreover, in contrast to tau and α-synuclein, an in vitro system with prion-like Aβ has not been reported. Here we treat human APP expressing N2a cells with AD transgenic mouse brain extracts to induce inclusions of Aβ in a subset of cells. We isolate cells with induced Aβ inclusions and using immunocytochemistry, western blot and infrared spectroscopy show that these cells produce oligomeric Aβ over multiple replicative generations. Further, we demonstrate that cell lysates of clones with induced oligomeric Aβ can induce aggregation in previously untreated N2a APP cells. These data strengthen the case that Aβ acts as a prion-like protein, demonstrate that Aβ seeds can be intracellular oligomers and for the first time provide a cellular model of nucleated seeding of Aβ.
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| 18. |
- Paulus, Agnes, et al.
(författare)
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Correlative imaging to resolve molecular structures in individual cells: Substrate validation study for super-resolution infrared microspectroscopy
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1549-9642 .- 1549-9634. ; 43, s. 102563-102563
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Light microscopy has been a favorite tool of biological studies for almost a century, recently producing detailed images with exquisite molecular specificity achieving spatial resolution at nanoscale. However, light microscopy is insufficient to provide chemical information as a standalone technique. An increasing amount of evidence demonstrates that optical photothermal infrared microspectroscopy (O-PTIR) is a valuable imaging tool that can extract chemical information to locate molecular structures at submicron resolution. To further investigate the applicability of sub-micron infrared microspectroscopy for biomedical applications, we analyzed the contribution of substrate chemistry to the infrared spectra acquired from individual neurons grown on various imaging substrates. To provide an example of correlative immunofluorescence/O-PTIR imaging, we used immunofluorescence to locate specific organelles for O-PTIR measurement, thus capturing molecular structures at the sub-cellular level directly in cells, which is not possible using traditional infrared microspectroscopy or immunofluorescence microscopy alone.
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Pomeshchik, Yuriy, et al.
(författare)
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Proteomic analysis across patient iPSC-based models and human post-mortem hippocampal tissue reveals early cellular dysfunction and progression of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis
- 2023
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Ingår i: Acta Neuropathologica Communications. - 2051-5960. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The hippocampus is a primary region affected in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Because AD postmortem brain tissue is not available prior to symptomatic stage, we lack understanding of early cellular pathogenic mechanisms. To address this issue, we examined the cellular origin and progression of AD pathogenesis by comparing patient-based model systems including iPSC-derived brain cells transplanted into the mouse brain hippocampus. Proteomic analysis of the graft enabled the identification of pathways and network dysfunction in AD patient brain cells, associated with increased levels of Aβ-42 and β-sheet structures. Interestingly, the host cells surrounding the AD graft also presented alterations in cellular biological pathways. Furthermore, proteomic analysis across human iPSC-based models and human post-mortem hippocampal tissue projected coherent longitudinal cellular changes indicative of early to end stage AD cellular pathogenesis. Our data showcase patient-based models to study the cell autonomous origin and progression of AD pathogenesis.
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| 21. |
- Roos, Tomas T, et al.
(författare)
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Neuronal spreading and plaque induction of intracellular Aβ and its disruption of Aβ homeostasis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Acta Neuropathologica. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0533 .- 0001-6322. ; 142:4, s. 669-687
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) is thought to have prion-like properties promoting its spread throughout the brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the cellular mechanism(s) of this spread remains unclear. Here, we show an important role of intracellular Aβ in its prion-like spread. We demonstrate that an intracellular source of Aβ can induce amyloid plaques in vivo via hippocampal injection. We show that hippocampal injection of mouse AD brain homogenate not only induces plaques, but also damages interneurons and affects intracellular Aβ levels in synaptically connected brain areas, paralleling cellular changes seen in AD. Furthermore, in a primary neuron AD model, exposure of picomolar amounts of brain-derived Aβ leads to an apparent redistribution of Aβ from soma to processes and dystrophic neurites. We also observe that such neuritic dystrophies associate with plaque formation in AD-transgenic mice. Finally, using cellular models, we propose a mechanism for how intracellular accumulation of Aβ disturbs homeostatic control of Aβ levels and can contribute to the up to 10,000-fold increase of Aβ in the AD brain. Our data indicate an essential role for intracellular prion-like Aβ and its synaptic spread in the pathogenesis of AD.
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| 22. |
- Sahlin, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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The Arctic Alzheimer mutation favors intracellular amyloid-beta production by making amyloid precursor protein less available to alpha-secretase
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurochemistry. - : Wiley. - 0022-3042 .- 1471-4159. ; 101:3, s. 854-862
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mutations within the amyloid-β (Aβ) domain of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) typically generate hemorrhagic strokes and vascular amyloid angiopathy. In contrast, the Arctic mutation (APP E693G) results in Alzheimer's disease. Little is known about the pathologic mechanisms that result from the Arctic mutation, although increased formation of Aβ protofibrils in vitro and intraneuronal Aβ aggregates in vivo suggest that early steps in the amyloidogenic pathway are facilitated. Here we show that the Arctic mutation favors proamyloidogenic APP processing by increased β-secretase cleavage, as demonstrated by altered levels of N- and C-terminal APP fragments. Although the Arctic mutation is located close to the α-secretase site, APP harboring the Arctic mutation is not an inferior substrate to a disintegrin and metalloprotease-10, a major α-secretase. Instead, the localization of Arctic APP is altered, with reduced levels at the cell surface making Arctic APP less available for α-secretase cleavage. As a result, the extent and subcellular location of Aβ formation is changed, as revealed by increased Aβ levels, especially at intracellular locations. Our findings suggest that the unique clinical symptomatology and neuropathology associated with the Arctic mutation, but not with other intra-Aβ mutations, could relate to altered APP processing with increased steady-state levels of Arctic Aβ, particularly at intracellular locations.
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| 23. |
- Skoug, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Sphingosine 1-Phoshpate Receptors are Located in Synapses and Control Spontaneous Activity of Mouse Neurons in Culture
- 2022
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Ingår i: Neurochemical Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-6903 .- 0364-3190. ; 47:10, s. 3114-3125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is best known for its roles as vascular and immune regulator. Besides, it is also present in the central nervous system (CNS) where it can act as neuromodulator via five S1P receptors (S1PRs), and thus control neurotransmitter release. The distribution of S1PRs in the active zone and postsynaptic density of CNS synapses remains unknown. In the current study, we investigated the localization of S1PR1-5 in synapses of the mouse cortex. Cortical nerve terminals purified in a sucrose gradient were endowed with all five S1PRs. Further subcellular fractionation of cortical nerve terminals revealed S1PR2 and S1PR4 immunoreactivity in the active zone of presynaptic nerve terminals. Interestingly, only S1PR2 and S1PR3 immunoreactivity was found in the postsynaptic density. All receptors were present outside the active zone of nerve terminals. Neurons in the mouse cortex and primary neurons in culture showed immunoreactivity against all five S1PRs, and Ca 2+ imaging revealed that S1P inhibits spontaneous neuronal activity in a dose-dependent fashion. When testing selective agonists for each of the receptors, we found that only S1PR1, S1PR2 and S1PR4 control spontaneous neuronal activity. We conclude that S1PR2 and S1PR4 are located in the active zone of nerve terminals and inhibit neuronal activity. Future studies need to test whether these receptors modulate stimulation-induced neurotransmitter release.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Takahashi, Reisuke H, et al.
(författare)
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Accumulation of cellular prion protein within β-amyloid oligomer plaques in aged human brains
- 2021
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Ingår i: Brain Pathology. - : Wiley. - 1750-3639 .- 1015-6305. ; 31:5, s. 12941-12941
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the main cause of dementia, and β-amyloid (Aβ) is a central factor in the initiation and progression of the disease. Different forms of Aβ have been identified as monomers, oligomers, and amyloid fibrils. Many proteins have been implicated as putative receptors of respective forms of Aβ. Distinct forms of Aβ oligomers are considered to be neurotoxic species that trigger the pathophysiology of AD. It was reported that cellular prion protein (PrPC ) is one of the most selective and high-affinity binding partners of Aβ oligomers. The interaction of Aβ oligomers with PrPC is important to synaptic dysfunction and loss. The binding of Aβ oligomers to PrPC has mostly been studied with synthetic peptides, cell culture, and murine models of AD by biochemical and biological methods. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between Aβ oligomers and PrPC remain unclear, especially in the human brain. We immunohistochemically investigated the relationship between Aβ oligomers and PrPC in human brain tissue with and without amyloid pathology. We histologically demonstrate that PrPC accumulates with aging in human brain tissue even prior to AD mainly within diffuse-type amyloid plaques, which are composed of more soluble Aβ oligomers without stacked β-sheet fibril structures. Our results suggest that PrPC accumulating plaques are associated with more soluble Aβ oligomers, and appear even prior to AD. The investigation of PrPC accumulating plaques may provide new insights into AD.
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| 26. |
- Takahashi, Reisuke H., et al.
(författare)
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Plaque formation and the intraneuronal accumulation of β-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease
- 2017
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Ingår i: Pathology International. - : Wiley. - 1320-5463. ; 67:4, s. 185-193
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain are the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid plaques are composed of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ), while NFTs contain hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. Patients with familial AD who have mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene have either increased production of Aβ or generate more aggregation-prone forms of Aβ. The findings of familial AD mutations in the APP gene suggest that Aβ plays a central role in the pathophysiology of AD. Aβ42, composed of 42 amino acid residues, aggregates readily and is considered to form amyloid plaque. However, the processes of plaque formation are still not well known. It is generally thought that Aβ is secreted into the extracellular space and aggregates to form amyloid plaques. Aβ as extracellular aggregates and amyloid plaques are thought to be toxic to the surrounding neurons. The intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ has more recently been demonstrated and is reported to be involved in synaptic dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and the formation of amyloid plaques in AD. We herein provide an overview of the process of the intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ and plaque formation, and discuss its implications for the pathology, early diagnosis, and therapy of AD.
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| 27. |
- Torres-Garcia, Laura, et al.
(författare)
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Monitoring the interactions between alpha-synuclein and Tau in vitro and in vivo using bimolecular fluorescence complementation
- 2022
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 12, s. 1-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by pathological accumulation and aggregation of different amyloidogenic proteins, α-synuclein (aSyn) in PD, and amyloid-β (Aβ) and Tau in AD. Strikingly, few PD and AD patients’ brains exhibit pure pathology with most cases presenting mixed types of protein deposits in the brain. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) is a technique based on the complementation of two halves of a fluorescent protein, which allows direct visualization of protein–protein interactions. In the present study, we assessed the ability of aSyn and Tau to interact with each other. For in vitro evaluation, HEK293 and human neuroblastoma cells were used, while in vivo studies were performed by AAV6 injection in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of mice and rats. We observed that the co-expression of aSyn and Tau led to the emergence of fluorescence, reflecting the interaction of the proteins in cell lines, as well as in mouse and rat SNpc. Thus, our data indicates that aSyn and Tau are able to interact with each other in a biologically relevant context, and that the BiFC assay is an effective tool for studying aSyn-Tau interactions in vitro and in different rodent models in vivo.
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| 28. |
- Wang, Chao, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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S100A9-Driven Amyloid-Neuroinflammatory Cascade in Traumatic Brain Injury as a Precursor State for Alzheimer's Disease
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pro-inflammatory and amyloidogenic S100A9 protein is an important contributor to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is viewed as a precursor state for AD. Here we have shown that S100A9-driven amyloid-neuroinflammatory cascade was initiated in TBI and may serve as a mechanistic link between TBI and AD. By analyzing the TBI and AD human brain tissues, we demonstrated that in post-TBI tissues S100A9, produced by neurons and microglia, becomes drastically abundant compared to A beta and contributes to both precursor-plaque formation and intracellular amyloid oligomerization. Conditions implicated in TBI, such as elevated S100A9 concentration, acidification and fever, provide strong positive feedback for S100A9 nucleation-dependent amyloid formation and delay in its proteinase clearance. Consequently, both intracellular and extracellular S100A9 oligomerization correlated with TBI secondary neuronal loss. Common morphology of TBI and AD plaques indicated their similar initiation around multiple aggregation centers. Importantly, in AD and TBI we found S100A9 plaques without A beta. S100A9 and A beta plaque pathology was significantly advanced in AD cases with TBI history at earlier age, signifying TBI as a risk factor. These new findings highlight the detrimental consequences of prolonged post-TBI neuroinflammation, which can sustain S100A9-driven amyloid-neurodegenerative cascade as a specific mechanism leading to AD development.
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
- Willén, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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Aβ accumulation causes MVB enlargement and is modelled by dominant negative VPS4A
- 2017
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Ingår i: Molecular Neurodegeneration. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1750-1326. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD)-linked β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulates in multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with the onset of AD pathogenesis. Alterations in endosomes are among the earliest changes associated with AD but the mechanism(s) that cause endosome enlargement and the effects of MVB dysfunction on Aβ accumulation and tau pathology are incompletely understood.METHODS: MVB size and Aβ fibrils in primary neurons were visualized by electron microscopy and confocal fluorescent microscopy. MVB-dysfunction, modelled by expression of dominant negative VPS4A (dnVPS4A), was analysed by biochemical methods and exosome isolation.RESULTS: Here we show that AD transgenic neurons have enlarged MVBs compared to wild type neurons. Uptake of exogenous Aβ also leads to enlarged MVBs in wild type neurons and generates fibril-like structures in endocytic vesicles. With time fibrillar oligomers/fibrils can extend out of the endocytic vesicles and are eventually detectable extracellularly. Further, endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) components were found associated with amyloid plaques in AD transgenic mice. The phenotypes previously reported in AD transgenic neurons, with net increased intracellular levels and reduced secretion of Aβ, were mimicked by blocking recycling of ESCRT-III by dnVPS4A. DnVPS4A further resembled AD pathology by increasing tau phosphorylation at serine 396 and increasing markers of autophagy.CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that Aβ leads to MVB enlargement and that amyloid fibres can form within the endocytic pathway of neurons. These results are consistent with the scenario of the endosome-lysosome system representing the site of initiation of Aβ aggregation. In turn, a dominant negative form of the CHMP2B-interacting protein VPS4A, which alters MVBs, leads to accumulation and aggregation of Aβ as well as tau phosphorylation, mimicking the cellular changes in AD.
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| 31. |
- Willén, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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Heterogeneous Association of Alzheimer's Disease-Linked Amyloid-β and Amyloid-β Protein Precursor with Synapses
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877. ; 60:2, s. 511-524
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasingly viewed as a disease of synapses. Loss of synapses correlates better with cognitive decline than amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the hallmark neuropathological lesions of AD. Soluble forms of amyloid-β (Aβ) have emerged as mediators of synapse dysfunction. Aβ binds to, accumulates, and aggregates in synapses. However, the anatomical and neurotransmitter specificity of Aβ and the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) in AD remain poorly understood. In addition, the relative roles of Aβ and AβPP in the development of AD, at pre- versus post-synaptic compartments and axons versus dendrites, respectively, remain unclear. Here we use immunogold electron microscopy and confocal microscopy to provide evidence for heterogeneity in the localization of Aβ/AβPP. We demonstrate that Aβ binds to a subset of synapses in cultured neurons, with preferential binding to glutamatergic compared to GABAergic neurons. We also highlight the challenge of defining pre- versus post-synaptic localization of this binding by confocal microscopy. Further, endogenous Aβ42 accumulates in both glutamatergic and GABAergic AβPP/PS1 transgenic primary neurons, but at varying levels. Moreover, upon knock-out of presenilin 1 or inhibition of γ-secretase AβPP C-terminal fragments accumulate both pre- and post-synaptically; however earlier pre-synaptically, consistent with a higher rate of AβPP processing in axons. A better understanding of the synaptic and anatomical selectivity of Aβ/AβPP in AD can be important for the development of more effective new therapies for this major disease of aging.
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