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Weigel TK, Guo CL, Güler AD, Ferris HA. Altered circadian behavior and light sensing in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1218193. [PMID: 37409006 PMCID: PMC10318184 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1218193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian symptoms have long been observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and often appear before cognitive symptoms, but the mechanisms underlying circadian alterations in AD are poorly understood. We studied circadian re-entrainment in AD model mice using a "jet lag" paradigm, observing their behavior on a running wheel after a 6 h advance in the light:dark cycle. Female 3xTg mice, which carry mutations producing progressive amyloid beta and tau pathology, re-entrained following jet lag more rapidly than age-matched wild type controls at both 8 and 13 months of age. This re-entrainment phenotype has not been previously reported in a murine AD model. Because microglia are activated in AD and in AD models, and inflammation can affect circadian rhythms, we hypothesized that microglia contribute to this re-entrainment phenotype. To test this, we used the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor PLX3397, which rapidly depletes microglia from the brain. Microglia depletion did not alter re-entrainment in either wild type or 3xTg mice, demonstrating that microglia activation is not acutely responsible for the re-entrainment phenotype. To test whether mutant tau pathology is necessary for this behavioral phenotype, we repeated the jet lag behavioral test with the 5xFAD mouse model, which develops amyloid plaques, but not neurofibrillary tangles. As with 3xTg mice, 7-month-old female 5xFAD mice re-entrained more rapidly than controls, demonstrating that mutant tau is not necessary for the re-entrainment phenotype. Because AD pathology affects the retina, we tested whether differences in light sensing may contribute to altered entrainment behavior. 3xTg mice demonstrated heightened negative masking, a circadian behavior measuring responses to different levels of light, and re-entrained dramatically faster than WT mice in a jet lag experiment performed in dim light. 3xTg mice show a heightened sensitivity to light as a circadian cue that may contribute to accelerated photic re-entrainment. Together, these experiments demonstrate novel circadian behavioral phenotypes with heightened responses to photic cues in AD model mice which are not dependent on tauopathy or microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaddeus K. Weigel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Cherry L. Guo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Ali D. Güler
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Heather A. Ferris
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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Weigel TK, Guo CL, Güler AD, Ferris HA. Altered circadian behavior and light sensing in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. bioRxiv 2023:2023.05.02.539086. [PMID: 37205532 PMCID: PMC10187209 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.539086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Circadian symptoms have long been observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and often appear before cognitive symptoms, but the mechanisms underlying circadian alterations in AD are poorly understood. We studied circadian re-entrainment in AD model mice using a "jet lag" paradigm, observing their behavior on a running wheel after a six hour advance in the light:dark cycle. Female 3xTg mice, which carry mutations producing progressive amyloid beta and tau pathology, re-entrained following jet lag more rapidly than age-matched wild type controls at both 8 and 13 months of age. This re-entrainment phenotype has not been previously reported in a murine AD model. Because microglia are activated in AD and in AD models, and inflammation can affect circadian rhythms, we hypothesized that microglia contribute to this re-entrainment phenotype. To test this, we used the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor PLX3397, which rapidly depletes microglia from the brain. Microglia depletion did not alter re-entrainment in either wild type or 3xTg mice, demonstrating that microglia activation is not acutely responsible for the re-entrainment phenotype. To test whether mutant tau pathology is necessary for this behavioral phenotype, we repeated the jet lag behavioral test with the 5xFAD mouse model, which develops amyloid plaques, but not neurofibrillary tangles. As with 3xTg mice, 7-month-old female 5xFAD mice re-entrained more rapidly than controls, demonstrating that mutant tau is not necessary for the re-entrainment phenotype. Because AD pathology affects the retina, we tested whether differences in light sensing may contribute to altered entrainment behavior. 3xTg mice demonstrated heightened negative masking, an SCN-independent circadian behavior measuring responses to different levels of light, and re-entrained dramatically faster than WT mice in a jet lag experiment performed in dim light. 3xTg mice show a heightened sensitivity to light as a circadian cue that may contribute to accelerated photic re-entrainment. Together, these experiments demonstrate novel circadian behavioral phenotypes with heightened responses to photic cues in AD model mice which are not dependent on tauopathy or microglia.
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Kulas JA, Weigel TK, Ferris HA. Insulin resistance and impaired lipid metabolism as a potential link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Drug Dev Res 2020; 81:194-205. [PMID: 32022298 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Diabetes disrupts organs throughout the body including the brain. Evidence suggests diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration. In this review, we focus on understanding how diabetes contributes to the progression of neurodegeneration by influencing several aspects of the disease process. We emphasize the potential roles of brain insulin resistance, as well as cholesterol and lipid disruption, as factors which worsen AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A Kulas
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Thaddeus K Weigel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Heather A Ferris
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
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Lehmann ML, Weigel TK, Cooper HA, Elkahloun AG, Kigar SL, Herkenham M. Decoding microglia responses to psychosocial stress reveals blood-brain barrier breakdown that may drive stress susceptibility. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11240. [PMID: 30050134 PMCID: PMC6062609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28737-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
An animal's ability to cope with or succumb to deleterious effects of chronic psychological stress may be rooted in the brain's immune responses manifested in microglial activity. Mice subjected to chronic social defeat (CSD) were categorized as susceptible (CSD-S) or resilient (CSD-R) based on behavioral phenotyping, and their microglia were isolated and analyzed by microarray. Microglia transcriptomes from CSD-S mice were enriched for pathways associated with inflammation, phagocytosis, oxidative stress, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Histochemical experiments confirmed the array predictions: CSD-S microglia showed elevated phagocytosis and oxidative stress, and the brains of CSD-S but not CSD-R or non-stressed control mice showed vascular leakage of intravenously injected fluorescent tracers. The results suggest that the inflammatory profile of CSD-S microglia may be precipitated by extracellular matrix degradation, oxidative stress, microbleeds, and entry and phagocytosis of blood-borne substances into brain parenchyma. We hypothesize that these CNS-centric responses contribute to the stress-susceptible behavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Lehmann
- Section on Functional Neuroanatomy, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Thaddeus K Weigel
- Section on Functional Neuroanatomy, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Hannah A Cooper
- Section on Functional Neuroanatomy, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Abdel G Elkahloun
- Division of Intramural Research Programs Microarray Core Facility, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Stacey L Kigar
- Section on Functional Neuroanatomy, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Miles Herkenham
- Section on Functional Neuroanatomy, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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Lammert CR, Frost EL, Bolte AC, Paysour MJ, Shaw ME, Bellinger CE, Weigel TK, Zunder ER, Lukens JR. Cutting Edge: Critical Roles for Microbiota-Mediated Regulation of the Immune System in a Prenatal Immune Activation Model of Autism. J Immunol 2018; 201:845-850. [PMID: 29967099 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that autism is often associated with dysregulated immune responses and altered microbiota composition. This has led to growing speculation about potential roles for hyperactive immune responses and the microbiome in autism. Yet how microbiome-immune cross-talk contributes to neurodevelopmental disorders currently remains poorly understood. In this study, we report critical roles for prenatal microbiota composition in the development of behavioral abnormalities in a murine maternal immune activation (MIA) model of autism that is driven by the viral mimetic polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. We show that preconception microbiota transplantation can transfer susceptibility to MIA-associated neurodevelopmental disease and that this is associated with modulation of the maternal immune response. Furthermore, we find that ablation of IL-17a signaling provides protection against the development of neurodevelopmental abnormalities in MIA offspring. Our findings suggest that microbiota landscape can influence MIA-induced neurodevelopmental disease pathogenesis and that this occurs as a result of microflora-associated calibration of gestational IL-17a responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine R Lammert
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Elizabeth L Frost
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Ashley C Bolte
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908.,Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908; and
| | - Matt J Paysour
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Mariah E Shaw
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Calli E Bellinger
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Thaddeus K Weigel
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Eli R Zunder
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - John R Lukens
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908; .,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
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