Neuron-specific susceptibility to apolipoprotein E4.
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Alzheimer Disease↗
Biomedical subjects
Iftach Dolev
Publications and source records attributed to Iftach Dolev.
The nucleation growth and reversibility of Amyloid-beta deposition in vivo.
The amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide is a major constituent of the brain senile plaques that characterize Alzheimer's disease (AD). Converging observations led to the formulation of the amyloid hypothesis whereby the accumulation of soluble aggregates and insoluble Abeta deposits is the primary event in AD pathogenesis. Furthermore, the apoE4 isoform of apolipoprotein E, a major prevalent genetic risk factor of AD, is associated with increased Abeta deposition. To investigate the initial stages of the amyloid cascade in vivo and how this is affected by apoE4, we studied the effects of prolonged inhibition and subsequent reactivation of the Abeta-degrading enzyme, neprilysin, on aggregation and deposition of Abeta in apoE transgenic and control mice. The results revealed that Abeta deposition in vivo is initiated by aggregation of Abeta42, which is followed by reversible deposition of both Abeta42 and Abeta40, along with growth of the deposits, and by their subsequent irreversible fibrillization. The initiation of Abeta42 deposition is accelerated isoform-specifically by apoE4, whereas the growth and dissolution of the Abeta deposits as well as their fibrillization are similarly stimulated by the various apoE isoforms. Interestingly, Abeta deposition was associated with increased gliosis, which may reflect early pathological interactions of beta with the brain's parenchyma.
Alzheimer Disease↗
A nontransgenic mouse model shows inducible amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide deposition and elucidates the role of apolipoprotein E in the amyloid cascade.
The amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide, a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), undergoes a cascade of interactions resulting in the formation of soluble aggregates and their conversion in the brain to insoluble deposits and mature senile plaques. Furthermore, the apoE4 isoform of apolipoprotein E (apoE), which is the major genetic risk factor of AD, is associated with increased Abeta deposition. It is not known how the different Abeta aggregates in the amyloid cascade are formed, contribute to the pathogenesis of AD, or are affected by apoE4. To investigate the initial aggregation stages underlying the amyloid cascade in vivo and how apoE affects them, we examined the effects of prolonged inhibition and subsequent reactivation of the Abeta-degrading protease neprilysin on deposition, disaggregation, and fibrillization of Abeta in apoE-transgenic and control mice. In control mice, intracerebroventricular infusion of thiorphan, which inhibits neprilysin, induced Abeta42 and Abeta40 deposition and fibrillization. On termination of thiorphan treatment, the number of Abeta deposits decreased, whereas the fibrillar Abeta deposits were unaffected. Similar treatments in apoE-deficient mice and mice transgenic for human apoE4 or apoE3 revealed that apoE4 enhances specifically the nucleation and aggregation of immunopositive Abeta deposits and that reversible disaggregation of these deposits and their irreversible conversion to fibrillar deposits are stimulated similarly by the different apoE isoforms. Deposition of Abeta and its enhancement by apoE4 were accompanied by increased astrogliosis both far from and near the Abeta deposits, suggesting that astrogliosis might be triggered by both insoluble and soluble Abeta aggregates.
Alzheimer Disease↗