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Zhang T, Chu Y, Wang Y, Wang Y, Wang J, Ji X, Zhang G, Shi G, Cui R, Kang Y. Testosterone deficiency worsens mitochondrial dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1390915. [PMID: 38752208 PMCID: PMC11094339 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1390915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Recent studies show testosterone (T) deficiency worsens cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Mitochondrial dysfunction, as an early event of AD, is becoming critical hallmark of AD pathogenesis. However, currently, whether T deficiency exacerbates mitochondrial dysfunction of men with AD remains unclear. Objective The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of T deficiency on mitochondrial dysfunction of male AD mouse models and its potential mechanisms. Methods Alzheimer's disease animal model with T deficiency was performed by castration to 3-month-old male APP/PS1 mice. Hippocampal mitochondrial function of mice was analyzed by spectrophotometry and flow cytometry. The gene expression levels related to mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics were determined through quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blot analysis. SH-SY5Y cells treated with flutamide, T and/or H2O2 were processed for analyzing the potential mechanisms of T on mitochondrial dysfunction. Results Testosterone deficiency significantly aggravated the cognitive deficits and hippocampal pathologic damage of male APP/PS1 mice. These effects were consistent with exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction by gonadectomy to male APP/PS1 mice, reflected by further increase in oxidative damage and decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, complex IV activity and ATP levels. More importantly, T deficiency induced the exacerbation of compromised mitochondrial homeostasis in male APP/PS1 mice by exerting detrimental effects on mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics at mRNA and protein level, leading to more defective mitochondria accumulated in the hippocampus. In vitro studies using SH-SY5Y cells validated T's protective effects on the H2O2-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial biogenesis impairment, and mitochondrial dynamics imbalance. Administering androgen receptor (AR) antagonist flutamide weakened the beneficial effects of T pretreatment on H2O2-treated SH-SY5Y cells, demonstrating a critical role of classical AR pathway in maintaining mitochondrial function. Conclusion Testosterone deficiency exacerbates hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction of male APP/PS1 mice by accumulating more defective mitochondria. Thus, appropriate T levels in the early stage of AD might be beneficial in delaying AD pathology by improving mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyun Zhang
- Postdoctoral Research Station of Biology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yun Chu
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Postdoctoral Research Station of Biology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jinyang Wang
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Neurology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaoming Ji
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Guoliang Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Geming Shi
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Rui Cui
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yunxiao Kang
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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2
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Sexual Dimorphism in Neurodegenerative Diseases and in Brain Ischemia. Biomolecules 2022; 13:biom13010026. [PMID: 36671411 PMCID: PMC9855831 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies and clinical observations show evidence of sexual dimorphism in brain responses to several neurological conditions. It is suggested that sex-related differences between men and women may have profound effects on disease susceptibility, pathophysiology, and progression. Sexual differences of the brain are achieved through the complex interplay of several factors contributing to this phenomenon, such as sex hormones, as well as genetic and epigenetic differences. Despite recent advances, the precise link between these factors and brain disorders is incompletely understood. This review aims to briefly outline the most relevant aspects that differ between men and women in ischemia and neurodegenerative disorders (AD, PD, HD, ALS, and SM). Recognition of disparities between both sexes could aid the development of individual approaches to ameliorate or slow the progression of intractable disorders.
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3
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Abstract
As men grow older, circulating testosterone concentrations decline, while prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia increase. Epidemiological studies of middle-aged and older men have demonstrated associations of lower testosterone concentrations with higher prevalence and incidence of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. In observational studies, men with prostate cancer treated by androgen deprivation therapy had a higher risk of dementia. Small intervention studies of testosterone using different measures of cognitive function have provided inconsistent results, with some suggesting improvement. A randomised placebo-controlled trial of one year's testosterone treatment conducted in 788 men aged ≥ 65 years, baseline testosterone < 9.54 nmol/L, showed an improvement in sexual function, but no improvement in cognitive function. There is a known association between diabetes and dementia risk. A randomised placebo-controlled trial of two year's testosterone treatment in 1,007 men aged 50-74 years, waist circumference ≥ 95 cm, baseline testosterone ≤ 14 nmol/L, showed an effect of testosterone in reducing type 2 diabetes risk. There were no cognitive endpoints in that trial. Additional research is warranted but at this stage lower testosterone concentrations in ageing men should be regarded as a biomarker rather than a proven therapeutic target for risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bu B Yeap
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Australia.
| | - Leon Flicker
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia
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4
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Fainanta T, Jaroenporn S, Wititsuwankul P, Malaivijitnond S. Comparison of neuroprotective effects of dihydrotestosterone, 17β-estradiol, and Pueraria mirifica herb extract on cognitive impairment in androgen deficient male rats. Horm Behav 2022; 143:105198. [PMID: 35609404 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), 17β-estradiol (E2), and Pueraria mirifica herb extract (PME; an alternative source of natural estrogens) on the (i) learning and memory in androgen-deficient male rats, and on the hippocampus expression levels of (ii) mRNA of genes associated with synaptic transmission and structure, neurofibrillary tangles, and amyloid plaques, and (iii) total and phosphorylated tau proteins. The four-month-old male rats were sham-operated or orchidectomized (ODX). The ODX rats were divided into four groups, and orally treated for 2 months with either 1 mL/d of distilled water or 100 mg/kg/d of PME; or subcutaneously injected with 1 mg/kg/d of DHT or 80 μg/kg/d of E2. The impairment of spatial learning behavior and memory capacity in the ODX rats was prevented by DHT, E2, and PME. Recovery of the orchidectomy-induced deterioration of the synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of rats was ranked as E2 ≥ PME > DHT. Both DHT and PME mitigated the increased Tau3 and Tau4 mRNA levels, and Tau-5 and P-Tau Ser396 protein levels more than E2 (DHT ≥ PME > E2). Only DHT tended to decrease App mRNA expression level. In conclusion, DHT showed a stronger efficacy for mitigation of the impaired spatial learning behavior and memory capacity in androgen-deficient male rats compared to E2 and PME, and their mechanisms of action are slightly different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taratorn Fainanta
- Biological Sciences Program, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Sukanya Jaroenporn
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - Patteera Wititsuwankul
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Suchinda Malaivijitnond
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
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5
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Gannon OJ, Robison LS, Salinero AE, Abi-Ghanem C, Mansour FM, Kelly RD, Tyagi A, Brawley RR, Ogg JD, Zuloaga KL. High-fat diet exacerbates cognitive decline in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and mixed dementia in a sex-dependent manner. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:110. [PMID: 35568928 PMCID: PMC9107741 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02466-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 70% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients have co-morbid vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID); this highly prevalent overlap of dementia subtypes is known as mixed dementia (MxD). AD is more prevalent in women, while VCID is slightly more prevalent in men. Sex differences in risk factors may contribute to sex differences in dementia subtypes. Unlike metabolically healthy women, diabetic women are more likely to develop VCID than diabetic men. Prediabetes is 3× more prevalent than diabetes and is linked to earlier onset of dementia in women, but not men. How prediabetes influences underlying pathology and cognitive outcomes across different dementia subtypes is unknown. To fill this gap in knowledge, we investigated the impact of diet-induced prediabetes and biological sex on cognitive function and neuropathology in mouse models of AD and MxD. METHODS Male and female 3xTg-AD mice received a sham (AD model) or unilateral common carotid artery occlusion surgery to induce chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (MxD model). Mice were fed a control or high fat (HF; 60% fat) diet from 3 to 7 months of age. In both sexes, HF diet elicited a prediabetic phenotype (impaired glucose tolerance) and weight gain. RESULTS In females, but not males, metabolic consequences of a HF diet were more severe in AD or MxD mice compared to WT. In both sexes, HF-fed AD or MxD mice displayed deficits in spatial memory in the Morris water maze (MWM). In females, but not males, HF-fed AD and MxD mice also displayed impaired spatial learning in the MWM. In females, but not males, AD or MxD caused deficits in activities of daily living, regardless of diet. Astrogliosis was more severe in AD and MxD females compared to males. Further, AD/MxD females had more amyloid beta plaques and hippocampal levels of insoluble amyloid beta 40 and 42 than AD/MxD males. In females, but not males, more severe glucose intolerance (prediabetes) was correlated with increased hippocampal microgliosis. CONCLUSIONS High-fat diet had a wider array of metabolic, cognitive, and neuropathological consequences in AD and MxD females compared to males. These findings shed light on potential underlying mechanisms by which prediabetes may lead to earlier dementia onset in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia J. Gannon
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA
| | - Lisa S. Robison
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA ,grid.261241.20000 0001 2168 8324Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 USA ,grid.264307.40000 0000 9688 1551Department of Psychology, Stetson University, 421 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32723 USA
| | - Abigail E. Salinero
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA
| | - Charly Abi-Ghanem
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA
| | - Febronia M. Mansour
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA
| | - Richard D. Kelly
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA
| | - Alvira Tyagi
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA
| | - Rebekah R. Brawley
- grid.264307.40000 0000 9688 1551Department of Psychology, Stetson University, 421 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32723 USA
| | - Jordan D. Ogg
- grid.264307.40000 0000 9688 1551Department of Psychology, Stetson University, 421 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32723 USA
| | - Kristen L. Zuloaga
- grid.413558.e0000 0001 0427 8745Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue; MC-136, Albany, NY 12208 USA
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6
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Achard V, Ceyzériat K, Tournier BB, Frisoni GB, Garibotto V, Zilli T. Biomarkers to Evaluate Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer and Risk of Alzheimer's Disease and Neurodegeneration: Old Drugs, New Concerns. Front Oncol 2022; 11:734881. [PMID: 34970480 PMCID: PMC8712866 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.734881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a standard treatment for prostate cancer patients, routinely used in the palliative or in the curative setting in association with radiotherapy. Among the systemic long-term side effects of ADT, growing data suggest a potentially increased risk of dementia/Alzheimer’s disease in prostate cancer patients treated with hormonal manipulation. While pre-clinical data suggest that androgen ablation may have neurotoxic effects due to Aβ accumulation and increased tau phosphorylation in small animal brains, clinical studies have measured the impact of ADT on long-term cognitive function, with conflicting results, and studies on biological changes after ADT are still lacking. The aim of this review is to report on the current evidence on the association between the ADT use and the risk of cognitive impairment in prostate cancer patients. We will focus on the contribution of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, namely through imaging, to investigate potential ADT-induced brain modifications. The evidence from these preliminary studies shows brain changes in gray matter volume, cortical activation and metabolism associated with ADT, however with a large variability in biomarker selection, ADT duration and cognitive outcome. Importantly, no study investigated yet biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease pathology, namely amyloid and tau. These preliminary data emphasize the need for larger targeted investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vérane Achard
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kelly Ceyzériat
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Diagnostic Department, Geneva University Hospitals, and NimtLab, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin B Tournier
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni B Frisoni
- Memory Clinic, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University and University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Valentina Garibotto
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Diagnostic Department, Geneva University Hospitals, and NimtLab, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Zilli
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland
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7
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Wang Z, Wu W, Kim MS, Cai D. GnRH pulse frequency and irregularity play a role in male aging. NATURE AGING 2021; 1:904-918. [PMID: 37118330 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-021-00116-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) has a role in hypothalamic control of aging, but the underlying patterns and relationship with downstream reproductive hormones are still unclear. Here we report that hypothalamic GnRH pulse frequency and irregularity increase before GnRH pulse amplitude slowly decreases during aging. GnRH is inhibited by nuclear factor (NF)-κB, and GnRH pulses were controlled by oscillations in the transcriptional activity of NF-κB. Exposure to testosterone under pro-inflammatory conditions stimulated both NF-κB oscillations and GnRH pulses. While castration of middle-aged mice induced short-term anti-aging effects, preventing elevation of luteinizing hormone (LH) levels after castration led to long-term anti-aging effects and lifespan extension, indicating that high-frequency GnRH pulses and high-magnitude LH levels coordinately mediate aging. Reprogramming the endogenous GnRH pulses of middle-aged male mice via an optogenetic approach revealed that increasing GnRH pulses frequency causes LH excess and aging acceleration, while lowering the frequency of and stabilizing GnRH pulses can slow down aging. In conclusion, GnRH pulses are important for aging in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhouguang Wang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Wenhe Wu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Min Soo Kim
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Dongsheng Cai
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
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8
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Guleken Z, Bulut H, Bulut B, Depciuch J. Assessment of the effect of endocrine abnormalities on biomacromolecules and lipids by FT-IR and biochemical assays as biomarker of metabolites in early Polycystic ovary syndrome women. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2021; 204:114250. [PMID: 34274594 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy associated with metabolic disturbances. Both in the development and improvement of the disease, the structure of phospholipids and proteins in the blood serum plays important role in the treatment of these disease. Herein, to investigate the metabolic process and the variations of biomacromolecules and lipids between young PCOS women and healthy subjects, biochemistry and Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR) methods, were used. Moreover, partial least squares regression (PLS) and Principal component analysis (PCA) to research differentiation of biomacromolecules, were performed. We obtained blood serum of of 100 individuals including 57 with PCOS and 43 healthy controls. The biochemical blood profile of PCOS women was presented by spectroscopic measurements, which is an analytical technique, as well as by laboratory indexes and oxidative stress status measurements. There was a significant structural differentiation between studied groups in the number of functional groups and biomolecules differentiation depending on the protein expression and oxidative stress status. Hence, FTIR spectroscopy and oxidative load can be effectively utilized as tools for classifying quantitative and qualitative changes of biomolecules in PCOS samples. PCOS samples did not correlate with luteinizing hormone (LH) level and proteins but had a negative correlation between carbohydrates and fatty acids, compared with control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zozan Guleken
- Department of Physiology, Uskudar University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Huri Bulut
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Berk Bulut
- Health Science University Istanbul Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turkey; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty of Medicine Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Joanna Depciuch
- Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Science, 31-342 Krakow, Poland.
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9
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Dennison JL, Ricciardi NR, Lohse I, Volmar CH, Wahlestedt C. Sexual Dimorphism in the 3xTg-AD Mouse Model and Its Impact on Pre-Clinical Research. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 80:41-52. [PMID: 33459720 PMCID: PMC8075398 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Female sex is a leading risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Sexual dimorphism in AD is gaining attention as clinical data show that women are not only more likely to develop AD but also to experience worse pathology and faster cognitive decline. Pre-clinical AD research in animal models often neglects to address sexual dimorphism in evaluation of behavioral or molecular characteristics and outcomes. This can compromise its translation to a clinical setting. The triple-transgenic AD mouse model (3xTg-AD) is a commonly used but unique AD model because it exhibits both amyloid and tau pathology, essential features of the human AD phenotype. Mounting evidence has revealed important sexually dimorphic characteristics of this animal model that have yet to be reviewed and thus, are often overlooked in studies using the 3xTg-AD model. In this review we conduct a thorough analysis of reports of sexual dimorphism in the 3xTg-AD model including findings of molecular, behavioral, and longevity-related sex differences in original research articles through August 2020. Importantly, we find results to be inconsistent, and that strain source and differing methodologies are major contributors to lack of consensus regarding traits of each sex. We first touch on the nature of sexual dimorphism in clinical AD, followed by a brief summary of sexual dimorphism in other major AD murine models before discussing the 3xTg-AD model in depth. We conclude by offering four suggestions to help unify pre-clinical mouse model AD research inspired by the NIH expectations for considering sex as a biological variable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Dennison
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.,Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Natalie R Ricciardi
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.,Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ines Lohse
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.,Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Claude-Henry Volmar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.,Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.,Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
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10
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Tobore TO. On the Etiopathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease: A Comprehensive Theoretical Review. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 68:417-437. [PMID: 30775973 DOI: 10.3233/jad-181052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimers' disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, with an estimated 5 million new cases occurring annually. Among the elderly, AD shortens life expectancy, results in disability, decreases quality of life, and ultimately, leads to institutionalization. Despite extensive research in the last few decades, its heterogeneous pathophysiology and etiopathogenesis have made it difficult to develop an effective treatment and prevention strategy. Aging is the biggest risk factor for AD and evidence suggest that the total number of older people in the population is going to increase astronomically in the next decades. Also, there is evidence that air pollution and increasing income inequality may result in higher incidence and prevalence of AD. This makes the need for a comprehensive understanding of the etiopathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disease extremely critical. In this paper, a quintuple framework of thyroid dysfunction, vitamin D deficiency, sex hormones, and mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress are used to provide a comprehensive description of AD etiopathogenesis and pathophysiology. The individual role of each factor, their synergistic and genetic interactions, as well as the limitations of the framework are discussed.
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11
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Wang J, Lei X, Xie Z, Zhang X, Cheng X, Zhou W, Zhang Y. CA-30, an oligosaccharide fraction derived from Liuwei Dihuang decoction, ameliorates cognitive deterioration via the intestinal microbiome in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 strain. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 11:3463-3486. [PMID: 31160541 PMCID: PMC6594795 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence points to alterations in the gut microbiota-neuroendocrine immunomodulation (NIM) network that might drive Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology. In previous studies, we found that Liuwei Dihuang decoction (LW) had beneficial effects on the cognitive impairments and gastrointestinal microbiota dysbiosis in an AD mouse model. In particular, CA-30 is an oligosaccharide fraction derived from LW. We sought to determine the effects of CA-30 on the composition and function of the intestinal microbiome in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mouse strain, an AD mouse model. Treatment with CA-30 delayed aging processes, ameliorated cognition in SAMP8 mice. Moreover, CA-30 ameliorated abnormal NIM network in SAMP8 mice. In addition, we found that CA-30 mainly altered the abundance of four genera and 10 newborn genera. Advantageous changes in carbohydrate-active enzymes of SAMP8 mice following CA-30 treatment, especially GH85, were also noted. We further found that seven genera were significantly correlated with the NIM network and cognitive performance. CA-30 influenced the relative abundance of these intestinal microbiomes in SAMP8 mice and restored them to SAMR1 mouse levels. CA-30 ameliorated the intestinal microbiome, rebalanced the NIM network, improved the AD-like cognitive impairments in SAMP8 mice, and can thus be a potential therapeutic agent for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhui Wang
- , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.,, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xi Lei
- , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.,, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Zongjie Xie
- , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.,, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xiaorui Zhang
- , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.,, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xiaorui Cheng
- , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.,, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wenxia Zhou
- , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.,, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yongxiang Zhang
- , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.,, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
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12
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Steroids and Alzheimer's Disease: Changes Associated with Pathology and Therapeutic Potential. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134812. [PMID: 32646017 PMCID: PMC7370115 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial age-related neurodegenerative disease that today has no effective treatment to prevent or slow its progression. Neuroactive steroids, including neurosteroids and sex steroids, have attracted attention as potential suitable candidates to alleviate AD pathology. Accumulating evidence shows that they exhibit pleiotropic neuroprotective properties that are relevant for AD. This review focuses on the relationship between selected neuroactive steroids and the main aspects of AD disease, pointing out contributions and gaps with reference to sex differences. We take into account the regulation of brain steroid concentrations associated with human AD pathology. Consideration is given to preclinical studies in AD models providing current knowledge on the neuroprotection offered by neuroactive (neuro)steroids on major AD pathogenic factors, such as amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau pathology, mitochondrial impairment, neuroinflammation, neurogenesis and memory loss. Stimulating endogenous steroid production opens a new steroid-based strategy to potentially overcome AD pathology. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Steroids and the Nervous System.
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Cherrier MM, Higano CS. Impact of androgen deprivation therapy on mood, cognition, and risk for AD. Urol Oncol 2020; 38:53-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2019.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Mendell AL, Creighton SD, Wilson HA, Jardine KH, Isaacs L, Winters BD, MacLusky NJ. Inhibition of 5α Reductase Impairs Cognitive Performance, Alters Dendritic Morphology and Increases Tau Phosphorylation in the Hippocampus of Male 3xTg-AD Mice. Neuroscience 2020; 429:185-202. [PMID: 31954826 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Recent work has suggested that 5α-reduced metabolites of testosterone may contribute to the neuroprotection conferred by their parent androgen, as well as to sex differences in the incidence and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigated the effects of inhibiting 5α-reductase on object recognition memory (ORM), hippocampal dendritic morphology and proteins involved in AD pathology, in male 3xTg-AD mice. Male 6-month old wild-type or 3xTg-AD mice received daily injections of finasteride (50 mg/kg i.p.) or vehicle (18% β-cyclodextrin, 1% v/b.w.) for 20 days. Female wild-type and 3xTg-AD mice received only the vehicle. Finasteride treatment differentially impaired ORM in males after short-term (3xTg-AD only) or long-term (3xTg-AD and wild-type) retention delays. Dendritic spine density and dendritic branching of pyramidal neurons in the CA3 hippocampal subfield were significantly lower in 3xTg-AD females than in males. Finasteride reduced CA3 dendritic branching and spine density in 3xTg-AD males, to within the range observed in vehicle-treated females. In the CA1 hippocampal subfield, dendritic branching and spine density were reduced in both male and female 3xTg-AD mice, compared to wild type controls. Hippocampal amyloid β levels were substantially higher in 3xTg-AD females compared to both vehicle and finasteride-treated 3xTg-AD males. Site-specific Tau phosphorylation was higher in 3xTg-AD mice compared to sex-matched wild-type controls, increasing slightly after finasteride treatment. These results suggest that 5α-reduced neurosteroids may play a role in testosterone-mediated neuroprotection and may contribute to sex differences in the development and severity of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Boyer D Winters
- Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
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Giatti S, Diviccaro S, Serafini MM, Caruso D, Garcia-Segura LM, Viviani B, Melcangi RC. Sex differences in steroid levels and steroidogenesis in the nervous system: Physiopathological role. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 56:100804. [PMID: 31689419 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The nervous system, in addition to be a target for steroid hormones, is the source of a variety of neuroactive steroids, which are synthesized and metabolized by neurons and glial cells. Recent evidence indicates that the expression of neurosteroidogenic proteins and enzymes and the levels of neuroactive steroids are different in the nervous system of males and females. We here summarized the state of the art of neuroactive steroids, particularly taking in consideration sex differences occurring in the synthesis and levels of these molecules. In addition, we discuss the consequences of sex differences in neurosteroidogenesis for the function of the nervous system under healthy and pathological conditions and the implications of neuroactive steroids and neurosteroidogenesis for the development of sex-specific therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Giatti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Diviccaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Melania Maria Serafini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Donatella Caruso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Luis Miguel Garcia-Segura
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Barbara Viviani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Roberto C Melcangi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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Chronological Molecular Changes in Neuronal Communication in Androgen-Deficient Rats. J Mol Neurosci 2019; 69:83-93. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-019-01335-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Tobore TO. On the central role of mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease. Neurol Sci 2019; 40:1527-1540. [PMID: 30982132 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-019-03863-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the commonest cause of dementia, with approximately 5 million new cases occurring annually. Despite decades of research, its complex pathophysiology and etiopathogenesis presents a major hindrance to the development of an effective treatment and prevention strategy. Aging is the biggest risk factor for the development of AD, and the total number of older people in the population is going to significantly increase in the next decades, suggesting that AD incidence and prevalence is likely to increase in the future. This makes the need for a better understanding of the disease to be extremely urgent. METHODS A search was done by accessing PubMed/Medline, EBSCO, and PsycINFO databases. The search string used was "(dementia* OR Alzheimer's) AND (pathophysiology* OR pathogenesis)". New key terms were identified (new term included "vitamin D, thyroid hormone, mitochondria dysfunction, oxidative stress, testosterone, estrogen, melatonin, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, amyloid-β (Aβ), and hyperphosphorylated tau"). The electronic databases were searched for titles or abstracts containing these terms in all published articles between January 1, 1965, and January 31, 2019. The search was limited to studies published in English and other languages involving both animal and human subjects. RESULTS Mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress play a critical role in AD etiopathogenesis and pathophysiology. CONCLUSION AD treatment and prevention strategies must be geared towards improving mitochondrial function and attenuating oxidative stress.
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Kaufman MJ, Kanayama G, Hudson JI, Pope HG. Supraphysiologic-dose anabolic-androgenic steroid use: A risk factor for dementia? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 100:180-207. [PMID: 30817935 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Supraphysiologic-dose anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use is associated with physiologic, cognitive, and brain abnormalities similar to those found in people at risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease and its related dementias (AD/ADRD), which are associated with high brain β-amyloid (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau (tau-P) protein levels. Supraphysiologic-dose AAS induces androgen abnormalities and excess oxidative stress, which have been linked to increased and decreased expression or activity of proteins that synthesize and eliminate, respectively, Aβ and tau-P. Aβ and tau-P accumulation may begin soon after initiating supraphysiologic-dose AAS use, which typically occurs in the early 20s, and their accumulation may be accelerated by other psychoactive substance use, which is common among non-medical AAS users. Accordingly, the widespread use of supraphysiologic-dose AAS may increase the numbers of people who develop dementia. Early diagnosis and correction of sex-steroid level abnormalities and excess oxidative stress could attenuate risk for developing AD/ADRD in supraphysiologic-dose AAS users, in people with other substance use disorders, and in people with low sex-steroid levels or excess oxidative stress associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc J Kaufman
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Gen Kanayama
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James I Hudson
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Harrison G Pope
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Medeiros ADM, Silva RH. Sex Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease: Where Do We Stand? J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 67:35-60. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-180213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- André de Macêdo Medeiros
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Center of Health and Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido, Mossoró, Brazil
| | - Regina Helena Silva
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Lei Y, Renyuan Z. Effects of Androgens on the Amyloid-β Protein in Alzheimer's Disease. Endocrinology 2018; 159:3885-3894. [PMID: 30215697 DOI: 10.1210/en.2018-00660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Age-related androgen depletion has been implicated in compromised neuroprotection and is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia. Emerging data revealed that reduction of both serum and brain androgen levels in males is associated with increased amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation, a putative cause of AD. It has been demonstrated that androgens can function as the endogenous negative regulators of Aβ. However, the mechanisms by which androgens regulate Aβ production, degradation, and clearance, as well as the Aβ-induced pathological process in AD, are still elusive. This review emphasizes the contributions of androgen to Aβ metabolism and toxicity in AD and thus may provide novel strategies for prevention and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Lei
- Department of Urology, Jing'an District Central Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhou Renyuan
- Department of Urology, Jing'an District Central Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Cherrier MM, Cross DJ, Higano CS, Minoshima S. Changes in cerebral metabolic activity in men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for non-metastatic prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2018; 21:394-402. [PMID: 29700388 PMCID: PMC6125255 DOI: 10.1038/s41391-018-0037-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a common treatment option for men with biochemical relapse from prostate cancer. ADT is associated with changes in mood, cognition, and quality of life, and most recently with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study examined changes in brain metabolism using positron emission tomography (PET) in men undergoing intermittent ADT. METHODS Nine men with prostate cancer and a rising PSA (biochemical recurrence) without evidence of metastases were treated with intermittent ADT consisting of 9 months of complete androgen blockade achieved with combined leuprolide acetate and flutamide. Patients underwent resting [Fuorine-18] fluorodeoxyglucose PET (18F-FDGPET) at baseline (before treatment) and again after 9 months of ADT. RESULTS Whole-brain mapping analysis after 9 months of androgen deprivation compared to pretreatment baseline revealed decreased regional cerebral glucose metabolism in the cerebellum, posterior cingulate, and medial thalamus bilaterally. Associations of brain metabolism with measurements of cognition and mood while on androgen deprivation revealed positive correlations between the posterior cingulate, left inferior parietal lobule (BA40), and left mid temporal gyrus (BA39) and spatial reasoning and a negative correlation between left inferior parietal lobule and verbal memory. Several mood indices were negatively correlated with hypothalamus and brainstem. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that complete androgen deprivation may result in changes in regional brain metabolism associated with variation in mood, verbal memory, and spatial performance. Brain regions that were impacted from ADT are similar and overlap with brain regions with metabolic decline found in early AD and diabetes, suggesting possible common mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Cherrier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - D J Cross
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - C S Higano
- Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology and Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - S Minoshima
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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22
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Golden LC, Voskuhl R. The importance of studying sex differences in disease: The example of multiple sclerosis. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:633-643. [PMID: 27870415 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To date, scientific research has often focused on one sex, with assumptions that study of the other sex would yield similar results. However, many diseases affect males and females differently. The sex of a patient can affect the risk for both disease susceptibility and progression. Such differences can be brought to the laboratory bench to be investigated, potentially bringing new treatments back to the clinic. This method of research, known as a "bedside to bench to bedside" approach, has been applied to studying sex differences in multiple sclerosis (MS). Females have greater susceptibly to MS, while males have worse disease progression. These two characteristics of the disease are influenced by the immune system and the nervous system, respectively. Thus, sex differences in each system must be studied. Personalized medicine has been at the forefront of research recently, and studying sex differences in disease fits with this initiative. This review will discuss the known sex differences in MS and highlight how investigating them can lead to new insights and potential treatments for both men and women. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C Golden
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Molecular Biology IDP, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Rhonda Voskuhl
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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Yao PL, Zhuo S, Mei H, Chen XF, Li N, Zhu TF, Chen ST, Wang JM, Hou RX, Le YY. Androgen alleviates neurotoxicity of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) by promoting microglial clearance of Aβ and inhibiting microglial inflammatory response to Aβ. CNS Neurosci Ther 2017; 23:855-865. [PMID: 28941188 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Lower androgen level in elderly men is a risk factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been reported that androgen reduces amyloid peptides (Aβ) production and increases Aβ degradation by neurons. Activated microglia are involved in AD by either clearing Aβ deposits through uptake of Aβ or releasing cytotoxic substances and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Here, we investigated the effect of androgen on Aβ uptake and clearance and Aβ-induced inflammatory response in microglia, on neuronal death induced by Aβ-activated microglia, and explored underlying mechanisms. METHODS Intracellular and extracellular Aβ were examined by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot. Amyloid peptides (Aβ) receptors, Aβ degrading enzymes, and pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected by RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and ELISA. Phosphorylation of MAP kinases and NF-κB was examined by Western blot. RESULTS We found that physiological concentrations of androgen enhanced Aβ42 uptake and clearance, suppressed Aβ42 -induced IL-1β and TNFα expression by murine microglia cell line N9 and primary microglia, and alleviated neuronal death induced by Aβ42 -activated microglia. Androgen administration also reduced Aβ42 -induced IL-1β expression and neuronal death in murine hippocampus. Mechanistic studies revealed that androgen promoted microglia to phagocytose and degrade Aβ42 through upregulating formyl peptide receptor 2 and endothelin-converting enzyme 1c expression, and inhibited Aβ42 -induced pro-inflammatory cytokines expression via suppressing MAPK p38 and NF-κB activation by Aβ42 , in an androgen receptor independent manner. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that androgen promotes microglia to phagocytose and clear Aβ42 and inhibits Aβ42 -induced inflammatory response, which may play an important role in reducing the neurotoxicity of Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Le Yao
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shu Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Mei
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Fang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Na Li
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Teng-Fei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Ting Chen
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Ming Wang
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Rui-Xing Hou
- Ruihua Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ying-Ying Le
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Ruihua Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Wang JH, Lei X, Cheng XR, Zhang XR, Liu G, Cheng JP, Xu YR, Zeng J, Zhou WX, Zhang YX. LW-AFC, a new formula derived from Liuwei Dihuang decoction, ameliorates behavioral and pathological deterioration via modulating the neuroendocrine-immune system in PrP-hAβPPswe/PS1 ΔE9 transgenic mice. Alzheimers Res Ther 2016; 8:57. [PMID: 27964740 PMCID: PMC5154149 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-016-0226-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence implicates the neuroendocrine immunomodulation (NIM) network in the physiopathological mechanism of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Notably, we previously revealed that the NIM network is dysregulated in the PrP-hAβPPswe/PS1ΔE9 (APP/PS1) transgenic mouse model of AD. METHODS After treatment with a novel Liuwei Dihuang formula (LW-AFC), mice were cognitively evaluated in behavioral experiments. Neuron loss, amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, and Aβ level were analyzed using Nissl staining, immunofluorescence, and an AlphaLISA assay, respectively. Multiplex bead analysis, a radioimmunoassay, immunochemiluminometry, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to measure cytokine and hormone levels. Lymphocyte subsets were detected using flow cytometry. Data between two groups were compared using a Student's t test. Comparison of the data from multiple groups against one group was performed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by a Dunnett's post hoc test or a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance with a Tukey multiple comparisons test. RESULTS LW-AFC ameliorated the cognitive impairment observed in APP/PS1 mice, including the impairment of object recognition memory, spatial learning and memory, and active and passive avoidance. In addition, LW-AFC alleviated the neuron loss in the hippocampus, suppressed Aβ deposition in the brain, and reduced the concentration of Aβ1-42 in the hippocampus and plasma of APP/PS1 mice. LW-AFC treatment also significantly decreased the secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the hypothalamus, and adrenocorticotropic hormone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone in the pituitary. Moreover, LW-AFC increased CD8+CD28+ T cells, and reduced CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells in the spleen lymphocytes, downregulated interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-23, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, and tumor necrosis factor-α and -β, and upregulated IL-4 and granulocyte colony stimulating factor in the plasma of APP/PS1 mice. CONCLUSIONS LW-AFC ameliorated the behavioral and pathological deterioration of APP/PS1 transgenic mice via the restoration of the NIM network to a greater extent than either memantine or donepezil, which supports the use of LW-AFC as a potential agent for AD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Hui Wang
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Xi Lei
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China
- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xiao-Rui Cheng
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Xiao-Rui Zhang
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Jun-Ping Cheng
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Yi-Ran Xu
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Ju Zeng
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Wen-Xia Zhou
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Yong-Xiang Zhang
- Department of Neuroimmunopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing, 100850, China.
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Levels and actions of neuroactive steroids in the nervous system under physiological and pathological conditions: Sex-specific features. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 67:25-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is a slow progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects more elderly women than elderly men. It impairs memory, typically progresses into multidomain cognitive decline that destroys the quality of life, and ultimately leads to death. About 5.3 million older Americans are now living with this disease, and this number is projected to rise to 14 million by 2050. Annual health-care costs in the United States alone are projected to increase to about US$1.1 trillion by 2050. The initial theory that decreasing estrogen levels leads to AD development in postmenopausal women has been proven inconclusive. For example, Women's Health Research Initiative Memory Study and the population-based nested case-control study have failed to demonstrate that estrogen/progesterone (hormone replacement therapy [HRT]) or estrogen replacement therapy could prevent the cognitive decline or reduce the risk of AD. This led to the realization that AD development could be due to a progressive increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in postmenopausal women. Accordingly, a large number of studies have demonstrated that an increase in LH levels is positively correlated with neuropathological, behavioral, and cognitive changes in AD. In addition, LH has been shown to promote amyloidogenic pathway of precursor protein metabolism and deposition of amyloid β plaques in the hippocampus, a region involved in AD. Cognate receptors that mediate LH effects are abundantly expressed in the hippocampus. Reducing the LH levels by treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists could provide therapeutic benefits. Despite these advances, many questions remain and require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- C V Rao
- 1 Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Reproduction and Development Program, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.,2 Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Reproduction and Development Program, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.,3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproduction and Development Program, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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Phoenixin-14 enhances memory and mitigates memory impairment induced by Aβ1-42 and scopolamine in mice. Brain Res 2015; 1629:298-308. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Atwood CS, Bowen RL. The endocrine dyscrasia that accompanies menopause and andropause induces aberrant cell cycle signaling that triggers re-entry of post-mitotic neurons into the cell cycle, neurodysfunction, neurodegeneration and cognitive disease. Horm Behav 2015; 76:63-80. [PMID: 26188949 PMCID: PMC4807861 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Sex hormones are physiological factors that promote neurogenesis during embryonic and fetal development. During childhood and adulthood these hormones support the maintenance of brain structure and function via neurogenesis and the formation of dendritic spines, axons and synapses required for the capture, processing and retrieval of information (memories). Not surprisingly, changes in these reproductive hormones that occur with menopause and during andropause are strongly correlated with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. In this connection, much evidence now indicates that Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves aberrant re-entry of post-mitotic neurons into the cell cycle. Cell cycle abnormalities appear very early in the disease, prior to the appearance of plaques and tangles, and explain the biochemical, neuropathological and cognitive changes observed with disease progression. Intriguingly, a recent animal study has demonstrated that induction of adult neurogenesis results in the loss of previously encoded memories while decreasing neurogenesis after memory formation during infancy mitigated forgetting. Here we review the biochemical, epidemiological and clinical evidence that alterations in sex hormone signaling associated with menopause and andropause drive the aberrant re-entry of post-mitotic neurons into an abortive cell cycle that leads to neurite retraction, neuron dysfunction and neuron death. When the reproductive axis is in balance, gonadotropins such as luteinizing hormone (LH), and its fetal homolog, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), promote pluripotent human and totipotent murine embryonic stem cell and neuron proliferation. However, strong evidence supports menopausal/andropausal elevations in the LH:sex steroid ratio as driving aberrant mitotic events. These include the upregulation of tumor necrosis factor; amyloid-β precursor protein processing towards the production of mitogenic Aβ; and the activation of Cdk5, a key regulator of cell cycle progression and tau phosphorylation (a cardinal feature of both neurogenesis and neurodegeneration). Cognitive and biochemical studies confirm the negative consequences of a high LH:sex steroid ratio on dendritic spine density and human cognitive performance. Prospective epidemiological and clinical evidence in humans supports the premise that rebalancing the ratio of circulating gonadotropins:sex steroids reduces the incidence of AD. Together, these data support endocrine dyscrasia and the subsequent loss of cell cycle control as an important etiological event in the development of neurodegenerative diseases including AD, stroke and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig S Atwood
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA; School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, 6027 WA, Australia.
| | - Richard L Bowen
- OTB Research, 217 Calhoun St, Unit 1, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
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Burnham VL, Thornton JE. Luteinizing hormone as a key player in the cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease. Horm Behav 2015; 76:48-56. [PMID: 26031357 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Alzheimer's disease is one of the most prevalent and costly neurological diseases in the world. Although decades of research have focused on understanding Alzheimer's disease pathology and progression, there is still a great lack of clinical treatments for those who suffer from it. One of the factors most commonly associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease is a decrease in levels of gonadal hormones, such as estrogens and androgens. Despite the correlational and experimental data which support the role of these hormones in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease, clinical trials involving their reintroduction through hormone therapy have had varied results and these gonadal hormones often have accompanying health risks. More recently, investigation has turned toward other hormones in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis that are disrupted by age-related decreases in gonadal hormones. Specifically, luteinizing hormone, which is increased with age in both men and women (in response to removal of negative feedback), has surfaced as a potentially powerful player in the risk and onset of Alzheimer's disease. Mounting evidence in basic research and epidemiological studies supports the role of elevated luteinizing hormone in exacerbating age-related cognitive decline in both males and females. This review summarizes the recent developments involving luteinizing hormone in increasing the cognitive deficits and molecular pathology characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica L Burnham
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland St, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA
| | - Janice E Thornton
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland St, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA.
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Verdile G, Asih PR, Barron AM, Wahjoepramono EJ, Ittner LM, Martins RN. The impact of luteinizing hormone and testosterone on beta amyloid (Aβ) accumulation: Animal and human clinical studies. Horm Behav 2015; 76:81-90. [PMID: 26122291 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Hormonal changes associated with ageing have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. Reductions in serum testosterone and increases in luteinizing hormone (LH) are established AD risk factors for dementia in men and have important roles in modulating AD pathogenesis. One of the defining features of AD is the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the brain, which has a key role in the neurodegenerative cascade. Both testosterone and LH have been shown to modulate CNS Aβ accumulation in animal studies, and associations with cerebral amyloid load in human studies have supported this. The underlying mechanisms by which these hormones modulate Aβ accumulation and contribute to neurodegeneration are not completely understood, however they have been shown to regulate Aβ metabolism, enhance its clearance and alter the processing of its parent molecule, the amyloid precursor protein. This review will discuss underlying mechanisms by which testosterone and LH modulate Aβ and provide an update on therapeutic approaches targeting these hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Verdile
- School of Biomedical Sciences, CHIRI Biosciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia; Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027, Australia; Sir James McCusker Alzheimer's disease Research Unit, School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
| | - Prita R Asih
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027, Australia; Dementia Research Unit, Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Anna M Barron
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba-shi, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Eka J Wahjoepramono
- Sir James McCusker Alzheimer's disease Research Unit, School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia; Medical Faculty, Pelita Harapan University - Neuroscience Centre, Siloam Hospital, Lippo Karawaci, Tangerang, Indonesia
| | - Lars M Ittner
- Dementia Research Unit, Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW 2036, Australia
| | - Ralph N Martins
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027, Australia; Sir James McCusker Alzheimer's disease Research Unit, School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, CHIRI Biosciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
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Jiang JH, He Z, Peng YL, Jin WD, Wang Z, Han RW, Chang M, Wang R. Kisspeptin-13 enhances memory and mitigates memory impairment induced by Aβ1-42 in mice novel object and object location recognition tasks. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2015; 123:187-95. [PMID: 26103138 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Revised: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Kisspeptin (KP), the endogenous ligand of GPR54, is a recently discovered neuropeptide shown to be involved in regulating reproductive system, anxiety-related behavior, locomotion, food intake, and suppression of metastasis across a range of cancers. KP is transcribed within the hippocampus, and GPR54 has been found in the amygdala and hippocampus, suggesting that KP might be involved in mediating learning and memory. However, the role of KP in cognition was largely unclear. Here, we investigated the role of KP-13, one of the endogenous active isoforms, in memory processes, and determined whether KP-13 could mitigate memory impairment induced by Aβ1-42 in mice, using novel object recognition (NOR) and object location recognition (OLR) tasks. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of KP-13 (2μg) immediately after training not only facilitated memory formation, but also prolonged memory retention in both tasks. The memory-improving effects of KP-13 could be blocked by the GPR54 receptor antagonist, kisspeptin-234 (234), and GnRH receptors antagonist, Cetrorelix, suggesting pharmacological specificity. Then the memory-enhancing effects were also presented after infusion of KP-13 into the hippocampus. Moreover, we found that i.c.v. injection of KP-13 was able to reverse the memory impairment induced by Aβ1-42, which was inhibited by 234. To sum up, the results of our work indicate that KP-13 could facilitate memory formation and prolong memory retention through activation of the GPR54 and GnRH receptors, and suppress memory-impairing effect of Aβ1-42 through activation of the GPR54, suggesting that KP-13 may be a potential drug for enhancing memory and treating Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- J H Jiang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Z He
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Y L Peng
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - W D Jin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Z Wang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - R W Han
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330088, China
| | - M Chang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - R Wang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Jayaraman A, Christensen A, Moser VA, Vest RS, Miller CP, Hattersley G, Pike CJ. Selective androgen receptor modulator RAD140 is neuroprotective in cultured neurons and kainate-lesioned male rats. Endocrinology 2014; 155:1398-406. [PMID: 24428527 PMCID: PMC3959610 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The decline in testosterone levels in men during normal aging increases risks of dysfunction and disease in androgen-responsive tissues, including brain. The use of testosterone therapy has the potential to increase the risks for developing prostate cancer and or accelerating its progression. To overcome this limitation, novel compounds termed "selective androgen receptor modulators" (SARMs) have been developed that lack significant androgen action in prostate but exert agonist effects in select androgen-responsive tissues. The efficacy of SARMs in brain is largely unknown. In this study, we investigate the SARM RAD140 in cultured rat neurons and male rat brain for its ability to provide neuroprotection, an important neural action of endogenous androgens that is relevant to neural health and resilience to neurodegenerative diseases. In cultured hippocampal neurons, RAD140 was as effective as testosterone in reducing cell death induced by apoptotic insults. Mechanistically, RAD140 neuroprotection was dependent upon MAPK signaling, as evidenced by elevation of ERK phosphorylation and inhibition of protection by the MAPK kinase inhibitor U0126. Importantly, RAD140 was also neuroprotective in vivo using the rat kainate lesion model. In experiments with gonadectomized, adult male rats, RAD140 was shown to exhibit peripheral tissue-specific androgen action that largely spared prostate, neural efficacy as demonstrated by activation of androgenic gene regulation effects, and neuroprotection of hippocampal neurons against cell death caused by systemic administration of the excitotoxin kainate. These novel findings demonstrate initial preclinical efficacy of a SARM in neuroprotective actions relevant to Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusha Jayaraman
- Davis School of Gerontology (A.J., A.C., R.S.V., C.J.P.) and Neuroscience Graduate Program (V.A.M., C.J.P.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089; and Radius Health, Inc. (C.P.M., G.H.), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
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Ovariectomy induces a shift in fuel availability and metabolism in the hippocampus of the female transgenic model of familial Alzheimer's. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59825. [PMID: 23555795 PMCID: PMC3608536 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Accepted: 02/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously, we demonstrated that reproductive senescence in female triple transgenic Alzheimer's (3×TgAD) mice was paralleled by a shift towards a ketogenic profile with a concomitant decline in mitochondrial activity in brain, suggesting a potential association between ovarian hormone loss and alteration in the bioenergetic profile of the brain. In the present study, we investigated the impact of ovariectomy and 17β-estradiol replacement on brain energy substrate availability and metabolism in a mouse model of familial Alzheimer's (3×TgAD). Results of these analyses indicated that ovarian hormones deprivation by ovariectomy (OVX) induced a significant decrease in brain glucose uptake indicated by decline in 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake measured by microPET-imaging. Mechanistically, OVX induced a significant decline in blood-brain-barrier specific glucose transporter expression, hexokinase expression and activity. The decline in glucose availability was accompanied by a significant rise in glial LDH5 expression and LDH5/LDH1 ratio indicative of lactate generation and utilization. In parallel, a significant rise in ketone body concentration in serum occurred which was coupled to an increase in neuronal MCT2 expression and 3-oxoacid-CoA transferase (SCOT) required for conversion of ketone bodies to acetyl-CoA. In addition, OVX-induced decline in glucose metabolism was paralleled by a significant increase in Aβ oligomer levels. 17β-estradiol preserved brain glucose-driven metabolic capacity and partially prevented the OVX-induced shift in bioenergetic substrate as evidenced by glucose uptake, glucose transporter expression and gene expression associated with aerobic glycolysis. 17β-estradiol also partially prevented the OVX-induced increase in Aβ oligomer levels. Collectively, these data indicate that ovarian hormone loss in a preclinical model of Alzheimer's was paralleled by a shift towards the metabolic pathway required for metabolism of alternative fuels in brain with a concomitant decline in brain glucose transport and metabolism. These findings also indicate that estrogen plays a critical role in sustaining brain bioenergetic capacity through preservation of glucose metabolism.
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Suarez-Jimenez B, Gore HE, Hachey J, King HM, Lacreuse A. Testosterone modulation of anxiety in gonadally-suppressed male rhesus monkeys: a role for gonadotropins? Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 104:97-104. [PMID: 23333155 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2012] [Revised: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) has repeatedly been shown to have anxiolytic properties in rodents, but findings in primates are more mixed. To examine the effects of exogenous T on anxiety, we tested pharmacologically-castrated adult male rhesus monkeys in a modified version of the Human Intruder Paradigm, which measured defensive responses to an unfamiliar human staring directly at them for 2 min. Monkeys were tested at 2 week intervals during 4 experimental conditions lasting 4 weeks each: at baseline, during treatment with the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist leuprolide acetate (200 μg/kg; Lupron phase), during treatment with Lupron+T enanthate (TE, 5 mg/kg; TE phase) and during treatment with Lupron+oil vehicle (oil phase). We found that the number of anxious behaviors was lower during periods of low T (Lupron only and Lupron+oil phases) than during the Lupron+TE phase. No change in pacing or watching behavior was observed. Thus, in contrast to rodent data, we found no evidence for anxiolytic properties of T in male rhesus monkeys. Rather, T supplementation restored baseline levels of anxiety in Lupron-treated monkeys. These discrepant findings may be best explained by the low levels of gonadotropins achieved by the GnRH agonist. We suggest that Lupron-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) suppression reduced anxiety and that this effect was abolished by T administration. This interpretation is consistent with the view that T increases emotional reactivity to a potential threat and facilitates adaptive arousal response in face of immediate social challenge.
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