Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.

Amyloid plaques composed of β-amyloid (Aβ) protein are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. We here report the generation and characterization of a novel transgenic mouse model of Aβ toxicity. The rTg9191 mice harbor a transgene encoding the 695 amino-acid isoform of human amyloid pr...

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Main Authors: Peng Liu, Jennifer B Paulson, Colleen L Forster, Samantha L Shapiro, Karen H Ashe, Kathleen R Zahs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4422728?pdf=render
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author Peng Liu
Jennifer B Paulson
Colleen L Forster
Samantha L Shapiro
Karen H Ashe
Kathleen R Zahs
author_facet Peng Liu
Jennifer B Paulson
Colleen L Forster
Samantha L Shapiro
Karen H Ashe
Kathleen R Zahs
author_sort Peng Liu
collection DOAJ
description Amyloid plaques composed of β-amyloid (Aβ) protein are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. We here report the generation and characterization of a novel transgenic mouse model of Aβ toxicity. The rTg9191 mice harbor a transgene encoding the 695 amino-acid isoform of human amyloid precursor protein (APP) with the Swedish and London mutations (APPNLI) linked to familial Alzheimer's disease, under the control of a tetracycline-response element, as well as a transgene encoding the tetracycline transactivator, under the control of the promoter for calcium-calmodulin kinase IIα. In these mice, APPNLI is expressed at a level four-fold that of endogenous mouse APP and its expression is restricted to forebrain regions. Transgene expression was suppressed by 87% after two months of doxycycline administration. Histologically, we showed that (1) Aβ plaques emerged in cerebral cortex and hippocampus as early as 8 and 10.5-12.5 months of age, respectively; (2) plaque deposition progressed in an age-dependent manner, occupying up to 19% of cortex at ~25 months of age; and (3) neuropathology--such as abnormal neuronal architecture, tau hyperphosphorylation and misfolding, and neuroinflammation--was observed in the vicinity of neuritic plaques. Biochemically, we determined total Aβ production at varied ages of mice, and we showed that mice produced primarily fibrillar Aβ assemblies recognized by conformation-selective OC antibodies, but few non-fibrillar oligomers (e.g., Aβ*56) detectable by A11 antibodies. Finally, we showed that expression of the tetracycline transactivator resulted in reduced brain weight and smaller dentate-gyrus size. Collectively, these data indicate that rTg9191 mice may serve as a model for studying the neurological effects of the fibrillar Aβ assemblies in situ.
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spelling doaj.art-d5e49ffb28e44ff3b5acdc4a0130a87f2022-12-21T23:52:46ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01105e012631710.1371/journal.pone.0126317Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.Peng LiuJennifer B PaulsonColleen L ForsterSamantha L ShapiroKaren H AsheKathleen R ZahsAmyloid plaques composed of β-amyloid (Aβ) protein are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. We here report the generation and characterization of a novel transgenic mouse model of Aβ toxicity. The rTg9191 mice harbor a transgene encoding the 695 amino-acid isoform of human amyloid precursor protein (APP) with the Swedish and London mutations (APPNLI) linked to familial Alzheimer's disease, under the control of a tetracycline-response element, as well as a transgene encoding the tetracycline transactivator, under the control of the promoter for calcium-calmodulin kinase IIα. In these mice, APPNLI is expressed at a level four-fold that of endogenous mouse APP and its expression is restricted to forebrain regions. Transgene expression was suppressed by 87% after two months of doxycycline administration. Histologically, we showed that (1) Aβ plaques emerged in cerebral cortex and hippocampus as early as 8 and 10.5-12.5 months of age, respectively; (2) plaque deposition progressed in an age-dependent manner, occupying up to 19% of cortex at ~25 months of age; and (3) neuropathology--such as abnormal neuronal architecture, tau hyperphosphorylation and misfolding, and neuroinflammation--was observed in the vicinity of neuritic plaques. Biochemically, we determined total Aβ production at varied ages of mice, and we showed that mice produced primarily fibrillar Aβ assemblies recognized by conformation-selective OC antibodies, but few non-fibrillar oligomers (e.g., Aβ*56) detectable by A11 antibodies. Finally, we showed that expression of the tetracycline transactivator resulted in reduced brain weight and smaller dentate-gyrus size. Collectively, these data indicate that rTg9191 mice may serve as a model for studying the neurological effects of the fibrillar Aβ assemblies in situ.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4422728?pdf=render
spellingShingle Peng Liu
Jennifer B Paulson
Colleen L Forster
Samantha L Shapiro
Karen H Ashe
Kathleen R Zahs
Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.
PLoS ONE
title Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.
title_full Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.
title_fullStr Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.
title_short Characterization of a Novel Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease--Amyloid Pathology and Unique β-Amyloid Oligomer Profile.
title_sort characterization of a novel mouse model of alzheimer s disease amyloid pathology and unique β amyloid oligomer profile
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4422728?pdf=render
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