Project description:Microglia express constitutively a Nox2 enzyme that is involved in neuroinflammation by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Amyloid β (Aβ) plays a crucial role in Alzheimer's disease. However, the mechanism of Aβ-induced microglial dysfunction and redox-regulation of microgliosis in aging remains unclear. In this study, we examined Nox2-derived ROS in mediating microglial response to Aβ peptide 1-42 (Aβ42) stimulation in vitro, in aging-associated microgliosis in vivo and in post-mortem human samples. Compared to controls, Aβ42 markedly induced BV2 cell ROS production, Nox2 expression, p47phox and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, cell proliferation and IL-1β secretion. All these changes could be inhibited to the control levels in the presence of Nox2 inhibitor or superoxide scavenger. Compared to young (3-4 months) controls, midbrain tissues from wild-type aging mice (20-22 months) had significantly higher levels of Nox2-derived ROS production, Aβ deposition, microgliosis and IL-1β production. However, these aging-related changes were reduced or absent in Nox2 knockout aging mice. Clinical significance of aging-associated Nox2 activation, microgliosis and IL-1β production was investigated using post-mortem midbrain tissues of humans at young (25-38 years) and old age (61-85 years). In conclusion, Nox2-dependent redox-signalling is crucial in microglial response to Aβ42 stimulation and in aging-associated microgliosis and brain inflammation.
Project description:Reduction of brain amyloid-β (Aβ) has been proposed as a therapeutic target for Alzheimer disease (AD), and microglial Aβ phagocytosis is noted as an Aβ clearance system in brains. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor approved for symptomatic treatment of AD. Galantamine also acts as an allosterically potentiating ligand (APL) for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). APL-binding site is located close to but distinct from that for acetylcholine on nAChRs, and FK1 antibody specifically binds to the APL-binding site without interfering with the acetylcholine-binding site. We found that in human AD brain, microglia accumulated on Aβ deposits and expressed α7 nAChRs including the APL-binding site recognized with FK1 antibody. Treatment of rat microglia with galantamine significantly enhanced microglial Aβ phagocytosis, and acetylcholine competitive antagonists as well as FK1 antibody inhibited the enhancement. Thus, the galantamine-enhanced microglial Aβ phagocytosis required the combined actions of an acetylcholine competitive agonist and the APL for nAChRs. Indeed, depletion of choline, an acetylcholine-competitive α7 nAChR agonist, from the culture medium impeded the enhancement. Similarly, Ca(2+) depletion or inhibition of the calmodulin-dependent pathways for the actin reorganization abolished the enhancement. These results suggest that galantamine sensitizes microglial α7 nAChRs to choline and induces Ca(2+) influx into microglia. The Ca(2+)-induced intracellular signaling cascades may then stimulate Aβ phagocytosis through the actin reorganization. We further demonstrated that galantamine treatment facilitated Aβ clearance in brains of rodent AD models. In conclusion, we propose a further advantage of galantamine in clinical AD treatment and microglial nAChRs as a new therapeutic target.
Project description:Early microglial accumulation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) delays disease progression by promoting clearance of beta-amyloid (Abeta) before formation of senile plaques. However, persistent Abeta accumulation despite increasing microglial numbers suggests that the ability of microglia to clear Abeta may decrease with age and progression of AD pathology. To determine the effects of aging and Abeta deposition on microglial ability to clear Abeta, we used quantitative PCR to analyze gene expression in freshly isolated adult microglia from 1.5-, 3-, 8-, and 14-month-old transgenic PS1-APP mice, an established mouse model of AD, and from their nontransgenic littermates. We found that microglia from old PS1-APP mice, but not from younger mice, have a twofold to fivefold decrease in expression of the Abeta-binding scavenger receptors scavenger receptor A (SRA), CD36, and RAGE (receptor for advanced-glycosylation endproducts), and the Abeta-degrading enzymes insulysin, neprilysin, and MMP9, compared with their littermate controls. In contrast, PS1-APP microglia had a 2.5-fold increase in the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta (interleukin-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), suggesting that there is an inverse correlation between cytokine production and Abeta clearance. In support of this possibility, we found that incubation of cultured N9 mouse microglia with TNFalpha decreased the expression of SRA and CD36 and reduced Abeta uptake. Our data indicate that, although early microglial recruitment promotes Abeta clearance and is neuroprotective in AD, as disease progresses, proinflammatory cytokines produced in response to Abeta deposition downregulate genes involved in Abeta clearance and promote Abeta accumulation, therefore contributing to neurodegeneration. Antiinflammatory therapy for AD should take this dichotomous microglial role into consideration.
Project description:Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive cognitive decline and believed to be driven by the self-aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide into oligomers and fibrils that accumulate as senile plaques. It is widely accepted that microglia-mediated inflammation is a significant contributor to disease pathogenesis; however, different microglia phenotypes were identified along AD progression and excessive Aβ production was shown to dysregulate cell function. As so, the contribution of microglia to AD pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. In this study, we wondered if isolated microglia cultured for 16 days in vitro (DIV) would react differentially from the 2 DIV cells upon treatment with 1000 nM Aβ1-42 for 24 h. No changes in cell viability were observed and morphometric alterations associated to microglia activation, such as volume increase and process shortening, were obvious in 2 DIV microglia, but less evident in 16 DIV cells. These cells showed lower phagocytic, migration and autophagic properties after Aβ treatment than the 2 DIV cultured microglia. Reduced phagocytosis may derive from increased CD33 expression, reduced triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) and milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 protein (MFG-E8) levels, which were mainly observed in 16 DIV cells. Activation of inflammatory mediators, such as high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as increased expression of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4 and fractalkine/CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) cell surface receptors were prominent in 2 DIV microglia, while elevation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) was marked in 16 DIV cells. Increased senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) and upregulated miR-146a expression that were observed in 16 DIV cells showed to increase by Aβ in 2 DIV microglia. Additionally, Aβ downregulated miR-155 and miR-124, and reduced the CD11b+ subpopulation in 2 DIV microglia, while increased the number of CD86+ cells in 16 DIV microglia. Simultaneous M1 and M2 markers were found after Aβ treatment, but at lower expression in the in vitro aged microglia. Data show key-aging associated responses by microglia when incubated with Aβ, with a loss of reactivity from the 2 DIV to the 16 DIV cells, which course with a reduced phagocytosis, migration and lower expression of inflammatory miRNAs. These findings help to improve our understanding on the heterogeneous responses that microglia can have along the progression of AD disease and imply that therapeutic approaches may differ from early to late stages.
Project description:Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are being recognized as characteristic hallmarks in many neurodegenerative diseases, especially those that portray proteinopathy, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is an inducible enzyme with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, while microglia are the immune cells in the central nervous system. To elucidate the brain expression profile of microglial HO-1 in aging and AD-progression, we have used the 5xFAD (five familial AD mutations) mouse model of AD and their littermates at different ages (four, eight, 12, and 18 months). Total brain expression of HO-1 was increased with aging and such increase was even higher in 5xFAD animals. In co-localization studies, HO-1 expression was mainly found in microglia vs. other brain cells. The percentage of microglial cells expressing HO-1 and the amount of HO-1 expressed within microglia increased progressively with aging. Furthermore, this upregulation was increased by 2-3-fold in the elder 5xFAD mice. In addition, microglia overexpressing HO-1 was predominately found surrounding beta-amyloid plaques. These results were corroborated using postmortem brain samples from AD patients, where microglial HO-1 was found up-regulated in comparison to brain samples from aged matched non-demented patients. This study demonstrates that microglial HO-1 expression increases with aging and especially with AD progression, highlighting HO-1 as a potential biomarker or therapeutic target for AD.
Project description:This Article contains errors in Fig. 1, Table 1 and the Methods section. In panel c, the labels for PmScsC and EcDsbC in the upper two curves are interchanged. In Table 1 and the Methods section entitled 'Extended structure', the space group of the extended PmScsC structure is incorrectly referred to as H32 and should read H32. Correct versions of Fig. 1 and Table 1 are presented below; the errors have not been corrected in the Article.