Lysosomal dysfunction in a mouse model of Sandhoff disease leads to accumulation of ganglioside-bound amyloid-β peptide

J Neurosci. 2012 Apr 11;32(15):5223-36. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4860-11.2012.

Abstract

Alterations in the lipid composition of endosomal-lysosomal membranes may constitute an early event in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. In this study, we investigated the possibility that GM2 ganglioside accumulation in a mouse model of Sandhoff disease might be associated with the accumulation of intraneuronal and extracellular proteins commonly observed in AD. Our results show intraneuronal accumulation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ)-like, α-synuclein-like, and phospho-tau-like immunoreactivity in the brains of β-hexosaminidase knock-out (HEXB KO) mice. Biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed that at least some of the intraneuronal Aβ-like immunoreactivity (iAβ-LIR) represents amyloid precursor protein C-terminal fragments (APP-CTFs) and/or Aβ. In addition, we observed increased levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides in the lipid-associated fraction of HEXB KO mouse brains, and intraneuronal accumulation of ganglioside-bound Aβ (GAβ) immunoreactivity in a brain region-specific manner. Furthermore, α-synuclein and APP-CTFs and/or Aβ were found to accumulate in different regions of the substantia nigra, indicating different mechanisms of accumulation or turnover pathways. Based on the localization of the accumulated iAβ-LIR to endosomes, lysosomes, and autophagosomes, we conclude that a significant accumulation of iAβ-LIR may be associated with the lysosomal-autophagic turnover of Aβ and fragments of APP-containing Aβ epitopes. Importantly, intraneuronal GAβ immunoreactivity, a proposed prefibrillar aggregate found in AD, was found to accumulate throughout the frontal cortices of postmortem human GM1 gangliosidosis, Sandhoff disease, and Tay-Sachs disease brains. Together, these results establish an association between the accumulation of gangliosides, autophagic vacuoles, and the intraneuronal accumulation of proteins associated with AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Brain Chemistry / genetics
  • Brain Chemistry / physiology
  • Child, Preschool
  • G(M2) Ganglioside / metabolism
  • Gangliosides / metabolism*
  • Hexosaminidase B / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Infant
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Lysosomes / physiology*
  • Medulla Oblongata / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Sandhoff Disease / pathology*
  • Spinal Cord / metabolism
  • Substantia Nigra / metabolism
  • Young Adult
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Gangliosides
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • tau Proteins
  • G(M2) Ganglioside
  • Hexosaminidase B