Overexpression of human apolipoprotein A-I preserves cognitive function and attenuates neuroinflammation and cerebral amyloid angiopathy in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease

J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 19;285(47):36958-68. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.127829. Epub 2010 Sep 16.

Abstract

To date there is no effective therapy for Alzheimer disease (AD). High levels of circulating high density lipoprotein (HDL) and its main protein, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Clinical studies show that plasma HDL cholesterol and apoA-I levels are low in patients with AD. To investigate if increasing plasma apoA-I/HDL levels ameliorates AD-like memory deficits and amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, we generated a line of triple transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing mutant forms of amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1) as well as human apoA-I (AI). Here we show that APP/PS1/AI triple Tg mice have a 2-fold increase of plasma HDL cholesterol levels. When tested in the Morris water maze for spatial orientation abilities, whereas APP/PS1 mice develop age-related learning and memory deficits, APP/PS1/AI mice continue to perform normally during aging. Interestingly, no significant differences were found in the total level and deposition of Aβ in the brains of APP/PS1 and APP/PS1/AI mice, but cerebral amyloid angiopathy was reduced in APP/PS1/AI mice. Also, consistent with the anti-inflammatory properties of apoA-I/HDL, glial activation was reduced in the brain of APP/PS1/AI mice. In addition, Aβ-induced production of proinflammatory chemokines/cytokines was decreased in mouse organotypic hippocampal slice cultures expressing human apoA-I. Therefore, we conclude that overexpression of human apoA-I in the circulation prevents learning and memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice, partly by attenuating neuroinflammation and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. These findings suggest that elevating plasma apoA-I/HDL levels may be an effective approach to preserve cognitive function in patients with AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Apolipoprotein A-I / genetics
  • Apolipoprotein A-I / metabolism*
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Blotting, Western
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / etiology
  • Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / prevention & control*
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Cognition Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Embryo, Mammalian / cytology
  • Embryo, Mammalian / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Inflammasomes
  • Inflammation / etiology
  • Inflammation / prevention & control*
  • Lipoproteins / blood
  • Maze Learning
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microglia
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism
  • Presenilin-1 / physiology*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • APOA1 protein, human
  • APP protein, human
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Apolipoprotein A-I
  • Inflammasomes
  • Lipoproteins
  • Presenilin-1
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Cholesterol