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DNA Aptamers Targeting BACE1 Reduce Amyloid Levels and Rescue Neuronal Deficiency in Cultured Cells.

ABSTRACT: ?-amyloid (A?) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is indispensable for A? production, and knockout of BACE1 has no overt phenotypes in mouse. Thus, fine modulation of BACE1 may be a safe and effective treatment for AD patients. However, the large active site of BACE1 makes it challenging to target BACE1 with classical small-molecule inhibitors. DNA aptamer can have high affinity and specificity against diverse targets, and it provides an alternative strategy to target BACE1. In this study, we used a novel cell-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) strategy to select specific DNA aptamers optimized to target BACE1 under physiological status. After 17 rounds of selection, we identified two DNA aptamers against BACE1: BI1 and BI2. The identified aptamers interacted with BACE1 in pull-down assay, inhibited BACE1 activity in in vitro fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay and HEK293-APP stable cell line, reduced A? in the culture medium of HEK293-amyloid protein precursor (APP) stable cell line and APP-PS1 primary cultured neurons, and rescued A?-induced neuronal deficiency in APP-PS1 primary cultured neurons. In contrast, the identified aptamers had no effect on ?- or ?-secretase. In addition, cholesteryl tetraetylene glycol (TEG) modification further improved the potency of the identified aptamers. Our study suggests that it is feasible and effective to target BACE1 with DNA aptamers, and the therapeutic potential of the identified aptamers deserves further investigation.

SUBMITTER: Xiang J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6453838 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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DNA Aptamers Targeting BACE1 Reduce Amyloid Levels and Rescue Neuronal Deficiency in Cultured Cells.

Xiang Jun J Zhang Wen W Cai Xiao-Fang XF Cai Min M Yu Zhong-Hai ZH Yang Feng F Zhu Wen W Li Xiang-Ting XT Wu Ting T Zhang Jing-Si JS Cai Ding-Fang DF

Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids 20190315

β-amyloid (Aβ) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is indispensable for Aβ production, and knockout of BACE1 has no overt phenotypes in mouse. Thus, fine modulation of BACE1 may be a safe and effective treatment for AD patients. However, the large active site of BACE1 makes it challenging to target BACE1 with classical small-molecule inhibitors. DNA aptamer can have high affinity and specificity ag ...[more]

PMID: 30959405

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Project description:BackgroundDespite its identification as a key checkpoint regulator of microglial activation in Alzheimer's disease, the overarching role of CX3CR1 signaling in modulating mechanisms of Aβ driven neurodegeneration, including accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau is not well understood.MethodologyAccumulation of soluble and insoluble Aβ species, microglial activation, synaptic dysregulation, and neurodegeneration is investigated in 4- and 6-month old 5xFAD;Cx3cr1+/+ and 5xFAD;Cx3cr1-/- mice using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, transcriptomic and quantitative real time PCR analyses of purified microglia. Flow cytometry based, in-vivo Aβ uptake assays are used for characterization of the effects of CX3CR1-signaling on microglial phagocytosis and lysosomal acidification as indicators of clearance of methoxy-X-04+ fibrillar Aβ. Lastly, we use Y-maze testing to analyze the effects of Cx3cr1 deficiency on working memory.ResultsDisease progression in 5xFAD;Cx3cr1-/- mice is characterized by increased deposition of filamentous plaques that display defective microglial plaque engagement. Microglial Aβ phagocytosis and lysosomal acidification in 5xFAD;Cx3cr1-/- mice is impaired in-vivo. Interestingly, Cx3cr1 deficiency results in heighted accumulation of neurotoxic, oligomeric Aβ, along with severe neuritic dystrophy, preferential loss of post-synaptic densities, exacerbated tau pathology, neuronal loss and cognitive impairment. Transcriptomic analyses using cortical RNA, coupled with qRT-PCR using purified microglia from 6 month-old mice indicate dysregulated TGFβ-signaling and heightened ROS metabolism in 5xFAD;Cx3cr1-/- mice. Lastly, microglia in 6 month-old 5xFAD;Cx3cr1-/- mice express a 'degenerative' phenotype characterized by increased levels of Ccl2, Ccl5, Il-1β, Pten and Cybb along with reduced Tnf, Il-6 and Tgfβ1 mRNA.ConclusionsCx3cr1 deficiency impairs microglial uptake and degradation of fibrillar Aβ, thereby triggering increased accumulation of neurotoxic Aβ species. Furthermore, loss of Cx3cr1 results in microglial dysfunction typified by dampened TGFβ-signaling, increased oxidative stress responses and dysregulated pro-inflammatory activation. Our results indicate that Aβ-driven microglial dysfunction in Cx3cr1-/- mice aggravates tau hyperphosphorylation, neurodegeneration, synaptic dysregulation and impairs working memory.

Dataset Information

DNA Aptamers Targeting BACE1 Reduce Amyloid Levels and Rescue Neuronal Deficiency in Cultured Cells.

Publications

DNA Aptamers Targeting BACE1 Reduce Amyloid Levels and Rescue Neuronal Deficiency in Cultured Cells.

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