Early intervention with an estrogen receptor β-selective phytoestrogenic formulation prolongs survival, improves spatial recognition memory, and slows progression of amyloid pathology in a female mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

J Alzheimers Dis. 2013;37(2):403-19. doi: 10.3233/JAD-122341.

Abstract

Our recent developments have yielded a novel phytoestrogenic formulation, referred to as the phyto-β-SERM formulation, which exhibits an 83-fold binding selectivity for the estrogen receptor subtype β (ERβ) over ERα. Earlier studies indicate that the phyto-β-SERM formulation is neuroprotective and promotes estrogenic mechanisms in the brain while devoid of feminizing activity in the periphery. Further investigation in a mouse model of human menopause indicates that chronic exposure to the phyto-β-SERM formulation at a clinically relevant dosage prevents/alleviates menopause-related climacteric symptoms. This study assessed the efficacy, in an early intervention paradigm, of the phyto-β-SERM formulation in the regulation of early stages of physical and neurological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a female triple transgenic mouse model of AD. Results demonstrated that, when initiated prior to the appearance of AD pathology, a 9-month dietary supplementation with the phyto-β-SERM formulation promoted physical health, prolonged survival, improved spatial recognition memory, and attenuated amyloid-β deposition and plaque formation in the brains of treated AD mice. In comparison, dietary supplementation of a commercial soy extract preparation showed no effect on cognitive measures, although it appeared to have a positive impact on amyloid pathology. In overall agreement with the behavioral and histological outcomes, results from a gene expression profiling analysis offered insights on the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with the two dietary treatments. In particular, the data suggests that there may be a crosstalk between ERβ and glycogen synthase kinase 3 signaling pathways that could play a role in conferring ERβ-mediated neuroprotection against AD. Taken together, these results support the therapeutic potential of the phyto-β-SERM formulation for prevention and/or early intervention of AD, and warrants further investigations in human studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / complications
  • Alzheimer Disease* / drug therapy
  • Alzheimer Disease* / mortality
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / genetics
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / agonists*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Memory Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Memory Disorders / etiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Ovariectomy
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Phytoestrogens / therapeutic use*
  • Plaque, Amyloid / pathology
  • Plaque, Amyloid / ultrastructure
  • Presenilin-1 / genetics
  • Recognition, Psychology / drug effects*
  • tau Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Estrogen Receptor beta
  • PSEN1 protein, human
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Phytoestrogens
  • Presenilin-1
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-40)
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)
  • tau Proteins