Abstract
Background: Although mood and sleep disturbances are nearly universal among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), brain structures involved in non-cognitive processing remain under characterized in terms of AD pathology.
Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate hallmarks of AD pathology in the brainstem of the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model of familial AD.
Methods: Fresh-frozen sections from female, 12 month old, transgenic and control B6C3 mice (n=6/genotype) were examined for amyloid burden and neurofibrillary alterations, by using 6E10 immunohistochemistry and the Gallyas silver stain, respectively. Serotonin transporter (SERT) densities in the dorsal and the median raphe were quantified by [3H]DASB autoradiography. SERT mRNA expression was measured by RT-PCR and visualized by in situ hybridization. Neuroinflammation was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for microglia and astrocytes, and by measuring mRNA levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6.
Results: No amyloid- and tau-associated lesions were observed in the midbrain raphe of 12 month old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. SERT binding levels were reduced in transgenic animals compared to age-matched controls, and SERT mRNA levels were decreased by at least 50% from control values. Intense microglial, but not astrocytic immunoreactivity was observed in APPswe/PS1dE9 vs. wild-type mice. Levels of TNF-α mRNA were two-fold higher than control and correlated positively with SERT mRNA expression levels in transgenic animals.
Conclusions: There was no amyloid accumulation and tau-associated pathology in the midbrain raphe of 12 month old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. However, there was a local neuroinflammatory response with loss of serotonergic markers, which may partially account for some of the behavioral symptoms of AD.
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, brainstem, dorsal raphe, median raphe, SERT, neuroinflammation, APPswe/PS1dE9.
Current Alzheimer Research
Title:Reduced Serotonin Transporter Levels and Inflammation in the Midbrain Raphe of 12 Month Old APPswe/PSEN1dE9 Mice
Volume: 15 Issue: 5
Author(s): Athanasios Metaxas*, Ramanan Vaitheeswaran, Katrine T. Jensen, Camilla Thygesen, Laura Ilkjaer, Sultan Darvesh and Bente Finsen
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurobiology Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense,Denmark
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, brainstem, dorsal raphe, median raphe, SERT, neuroinflammation, APPswe/PS1dE9.
Abstract: Background: Although mood and sleep disturbances are nearly universal among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), brain structures involved in non-cognitive processing remain under characterized in terms of AD pathology.
Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate hallmarks of AD pathology in the brainstem of the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model of familial AD.
Methods: Fresh-frozen sections from female, 12 month old, transgenic and control B6C3 mice (n=6/genotype) were examined for amyloid burden and neurofibrillary alterations, by using 6E10 immunohistochemistry and the Gallyas silver stain, respectively. Serotonin transporter (SERT) densities in the dorsal and the median raphe were quantified by [3H]DASB autoradiography. SERT mRNA expression was measured by RT-PCR and visualized by in situ hybridization. Neuroinflammation was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for microglia and astrocytes, and by measuring mRNA levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6.
Results: No amyloid- and tau-associated lesions were observed in the midbrain raphe of 12 month old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. SERT binding levels were reduced in transgenic animals compared to age-matched controls, and SERT mRNA levels were decreased by at least 50% from control values. Intense microglial, but not astrocytic immunoreactivity was observed in APPswe/PS1dE9 vs. wild-type mice. Levels of TNF-α mRNA were two-fold higher than control and correlated positively with SERT mRNA expression levels in transgenic animals.
Conclusions: There was no amyloid accumulation and tau-associated pathology in the midbrain raphe of 12 month old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. However, there was a local neuroinflammatory response with loss of serotonergic markers, which may partially account for some of the behavioral symptoms of AD.
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Cite this article as:
Metaxas Athanasios*, Vaitheeswaran Ramanan , Jensen T. Katrine , Thygesen Camilla , Ilkjaer Laura , Darvesh Sultan and Finsen Bente , Reduced Serotonin Transporter Levels and Inflammation in the Midbrain Raphe of 12 Month Old APPswe/PSEN1dE9 Mice, Current Alzheimer Research 2018; 15 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205014666171004113537
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205014666171004113537 |
Print ISSN 1567-2050 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5828 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
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Aims and Scope: Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, with an increasing prevalence that demands concerted efforts to advance our understanding and strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. This thematic issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and innovative approaches from multidisciplinary perspectives to address ...read more
Current updates on the Role of Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Neuroinflammation is an invariable hallmark of chronic and acute neurodegenerative disorders and has long been considered a potential drug target for Alzheimer?s disease (AD) and dementia. Significant evidence of inflammatory processes as a feature of AD is provided by the presence of inflammatory markers in plasma, CSF and postmortem brain ...read more
Deep Learning for Advancing Alzheimer's Disease Research
Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, with an increasing number of individuals affected yearly. Deep learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, has shown immense potential in various domains, including healthcare. This thematic issue of Current Alzheimer Research explores the application of deep learning techniques in advancing our ...read more
Diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers of dementia
Dementia affects 18 million people worldwide. Dementia is a syndrome of symptoms caused by brain disease, usually chronic or progressive, clinically characterized by multiple impairments of higher cortical functions such as memory, thinking, orientation, and learning. In addition, in the course of dementia, cognitive deficits are observed, which often hinder ...read more
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