Faculty Bibliography

Transgenic mice are used increasingly to model brain amyloidosis, mimicking the pathogenic processes involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this chapter, an in vivo strategy is described that has been successfully used to map amyloid-beta deposits in transgenic mouse models of AD with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), utilizing both the endogenous contrast induced by the plaques attributed to their iron content and by selectively enhancing the signal from amyloid-beta plaques using molecular-targeting vectors labeled with MRI contrast agents. To obtain sufficient spatial resolution for effective and sensitive mouse brain imaging, magnetic fields of 7-Tesla (T) or more are required. These are higher than the 1.5-T field strength routinely used for human brain imaging. The higher magnetic fields affect contrast agent efficiency and dictate the choice of pulse sequence parameters for in vivo MRI, all addressed in this chapter. Two-dimensional (2D) multi-slice and three-dimensional (3D) MRI acquisitions are described and their advantages and limitations are discussed. The experimental setup required for mouse brain imaging is explained in detail, including anesthesia, immobilization of the mouse's head to reduce motion artifacts, and anatomical landmarks to use for the slice alignment procedure to improve image co-registration during longitudinal studies and for subsequent matching of MRI with histology.

The amyloid cascade hypothesis remains a robust model of AD neurodegeneration. However, amyloid deposits contain proteins besides Abeta, such as apolipoprotein E (apoE). Inheritance of the apoE4 allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD. However, there is no consensus on how different apoE isotypes contribute to AD pathogenesis. It has been hypothesized that apoE and apoE4 in particular is an amyloid catalyst or "pathological chaperone". Alternatively it has been posited that apoE regulates Abeta clearance, with apoE4 been worse at this function compared to apoE3. These views seem fundamentally opposed. The former would indicate that removing apoE will reduce AD pathology, while the latter suggests increasing brain ApoE levels may be beneficial. Here we consider the scientific basis of these different models of apoE function and suggest that these seemingly opposing views can be reconciled. The optimal therapeutic target may be to inhibit the interaction of apoE with Abeta rather than altering apoE levels. Such an approach will not have detrimental effects on the many beneficial roles apoE plays in neurobiology. Furthermore, other Abeta binding proteins, including ACT and apo J can inhibit or promote Abeta oligomerization/polymerization depending on conditions and might be manipulated to effect AD treatment.

Background: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common of the conformational neurodegenerative disorders (NDD), while prion diseases are the most transmissible NDD. No highly effective treatment is currently available for any NDD. Previously, we have shown that mutated Ab peptides soluble and devoid of T-cell epitopes, produced a response which correlates with amelioration of AD pathology in animal models. Our lab has demonstrated that active immunization with antigens mimicking abnormal conformations such as polymerized ABri (pABri), could elicit antibody responses to oligomerized Ab and conformational aberrant hyperphosphorylated tau (ptau).We have now tested a combined vaccination using pBri and polymerized mutated Ab (pAb) in 3xTg mice and human PrP-Tg animals. Methods: We produced pBri and pAb1-30K18K19, which by electron microscopy formed oligomer-like structures. The pBri alone was used as an immunogen in HuPrPTg animals and in conjunction with pAb1-30KK in AD 3xTg mice using alum as an adjuvant. At the age of 15-16 months the AD mice were subjected to behavioral testing followed by histological and biochemical analysis. The HuPrPTg were assessed for the presence of antibodies against PrPRes. Results: 3xTg mice immunized animals showed no difference in locomotor activity compared to controls but a significant behavioral rescue by radial arm maze testing. The animals produced significant titers of IgM and IgG against Ab42 oligomers. Histological analysis showed a significant reduction of both amyloid and tau pathology. Biochemically, Ab42 and soluble ptau were significantly reduced. In HuPrPTg animals a systemic IgM and IgG response against PrPRes was observed, similar to the systemic response obtained in our prior successful mucosal PrP vaccinations. Conclusions: pBri conformational vaccination can be used to elicit antibodies that recognize multiple pathological proteins, including PrPRes, oligomer Ab and ptau. In 3x Tg mice with both Ab and tau pathology which were vaccinated with the combined pABri+pAb1-30KK, each of these pathologies were reduced histologically and biochemically, in association with a behavioral rescue. Such a combined approach targeting both pathological Ab and tau is more likely to be efficacious in AD patients

Background: Due to well-known markedly increased susceptibility contrast at ultra-high-field MR, this work is using 7T MR susceptibiltyweighted imaging (SWI) to better identify the histopathologic correlate of amyloid plaques containing iron and otherwise invisible subhippocampal structures of human post-mortem brain in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Methods: Post-mortem brain specimens of the frontal lobe and hippocampus were obtained from 8 patients (mean age 71.266.2 years) with clinically diagnosed AD and 6 age-matched healthy controls (72.4 66.6 years) without AD. Coronal 1w3 cm thick brain slices were preserved and fixed in 2% agar or formalin for this study. Imaging was performed on a 7.0T MR. A 24- element phased array head coil was used. High resolution 3D SWI was obtained with isotropic voxel size 150w320I=m. For imaging optimization to better visualize amyloid plaques, we varied TR, TE, bandwidth and flip angle from 30-100ms, 12-36ms, 60-140Hz/pixel and 10-40-; respectively. Results: Compared to controls, 7T SWI revealed a largely increased number of hypointense foci inADbrain samples along the cortical mantle of the frontal and entorhinal cortex due to enhanced susceptibility effects and superb signal. Figure 1 shows amyloid plaques identified with histologic slice (A) and in post-processed SWI image of the frontal cortex of an AD patient (B) as compared to a healthy control (C). The average phase value in the cortex region of AD data (2296 6 72) is significantly higher than that of control data (2032 6 64), which indicates higher iron amount in AD samples. In addition, 7T SWI also provides high resolution images for subregional hippocampal structures including CA1 CA2 CA3 subiculum, and dentate gyrus with significant atrophy of these structures in AD patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that SWI with optimization at ultra-high-field strength MR (i.e. 7T) has exhibited the capability to detect diminutive susceptibility contrast associated with iron deposition and otherwise invisible fine hippocampal structures with near histopathologic resolution. Therefore, SWI has great potential for direct detection and quantification of amyloid plaques in live human brain, and may become feasible in vivo in the near future

PrP(Sc) is believed to serve as a template for the conversion of PrP(C) to the abnormal isoform. This process requires contact between the two proteins and implies that there may be critical contact sites that are important for conversion. We hypothesized that antibodies binding to either PrP(c)or PrP(Sc) would hinder or prevent the formation of the PrP(C)-PrP(Sc) complex and thus slow down or prevent the conversion process. Two systems were used to analyze the effect of different antibodies on PrP(Sc) formation: (i) neuroblastoma cells persistently infected with the 22L mouse-adapted scrapie stain, and (ii) protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), which uses PrP(Sc) as a template or seed, and a series of incubations and sonications, to convert PrP(C) to PrP(Sc). The two systems yielded similar results, in most cases, and demonstrate that PrP-specific monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) vary in their ability to inhibit the PrP(C)-PrP(Sc) conversion process. Based on the numerous and varied Mabs analyzed, the inhibitory effect does not appear to be epitope specific, related to PrP(C) conformation, or to cell membrane localization, but is influenced by the targeted PrP region (amino vs carboxy).

HIV-ITP patients have a unique Ab against platelet GPIIIa49-66 which induces oxidative platelet fragmentation in the absence of complement (Cell 106: 551, 2001; JCI 113: 973, 2004). Using a phage display single-chain antibody (scFv) library, we developed a novel human monoclonal scFv Ab against GPIIIa49-66 (named A11), which act similarly to the parental Ab (JBC 283: 3224, 2008). We then produced a bifunctional GPIIIa49-66 agent (named SLK), that targets newly deposited fibrin strands within and surrounding the platelet thrombus and has reduced effects on non-activated circulating platelets (Blood 116: 2336, 2010). In this study, we produced another bifunctional GPIIIa49-66 agent (named APAC), which homes to activated platelets. Like SLK, APAC destroys platelet aggregates ex vivo in an identical fashion with ~85% destruction of platelet aggregates at 2 hrs. Platelet aggregate dissolution with a combination of SLK and APAC was ~2 fold greater than either agent alone at 0.025 muM. Platelet-rich clot lysis experiments demonstrated the time required for 50% platelet-rich fibrin clot lysis (T_50%) by APAC (95+/-6.1 min) was significantly longer than that by APAC+SLK (65+/-7.6 min) at a final concentration of 0.025 muM (APAC+SLK vs APAC, p<0.01). In comparison with APAC alone, the T_50% of APAC+SLK was shortened by 1.56, 1.67 and 2.1 fold at the concentrations of 0.025, 0.5 and 0.1muM, respectively. Thus these low concentrations of a combination of both agents are likely to be more effective and less toxic when used therapeutically in vivo

Amyloid plaques are one of the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The visualization of amyloid plaques in the brain is important to monitor AD progression and to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Our group has developed several contrast agents to detect amyloid plaques in vivo using magnetic resonance microimaging (muMRI) in AD transgenic mice, where we used intra-carotid mannitol to enhance blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. In the present study, we used ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles, chemically coupled with Abeta1-42 peptide to detect amyloid deposition along with mannitol for in vivo muMRI by femoral intravenous injection. A 3D gradient multi-echo sequence was used for imaging with a 100mum isotropic resolution. The amyloid plaques detected by T2*-weighted muMRI were confirmed with matched histological sections. Furthermore, two different quantitative analyses were used. The region of interest-based quantitative measurement of T2* values showed contrast-injected APP/PS1 mice had significantly reduced T2* values compared to wild-type mice. In addition, the scans were examined with voxel-based morphometry (VBM) using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for comparison of contrast-injected AD transgenic and wild-type mice. The regional differences seen in VBM comparing USPIO-Abeta1-42 injected APP/PS1 and wild-type mice correlated with the amyloid plaque distribution histologically, contrasting with no differences between the two groups of mice without contrast agent injection in regions of the brain with amyloid deposition. Our results demonstrated that both approaches were able to identify the differences between AD transgenic mice and wild-type mice, after injected with USPIO-Abeta1-42. The feasibility of using less invasive intravenous femoral injections for amyloid plaque detection in AD transgenic mice facilitates using this method for longitudinal studies in the pathogenesis of AD

Triplication of chromosome 21 in Down syndrome (DS) results in overexpression of the minibrain kinase/dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylated and regulated kinase 1A gene (DYRK1A). DYRK1A phosphorylates cytoplasmic tau protein and appears in intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). We have previously shown significantly more DYRK1A-positive NFTs in DS brains than in sporadic Alzheimer disease (AD) brains. This study demonstrates a gene dosage-proportional increase in the level of DYRK1A in DS in the cytoplasm and the cell nucleus, and enhanced cytoplasmic and nuclear immunoreactivity of DYRK1A in DS. The results suggest that overexpressed DYRK1A may alter both phosphorylation of tau and alternative splicing factor (ASF). Two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed modification of ASF phosphorylation in DS/AD and AD in comparison to controls. Altered phosphorylation of ASF by overexpressed nuclear DYRK1A may contribute to the alternative splicing of the tau gene and an increase by 2.68 x of the 3R/4R ratio in DS/AD, and a several-fold increase in the number of 3R tau-positive NFTs in DS/AD subjects compared with that in sporadic AD subjects. These data support the hypothesis that phosphorylation of ASF by overexpressed DYRK1A may contribute to alternative splicing of exon 10, increased expression of 3R tau, and early onset of neurofibrillary degeneration in DS

The accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides as toxic oligomers, amyloid plaques, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is critical in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The binding of Abeta peptides to apolipoprotein E (ApoE) plays an important role in modulation of amyloid deposition and clearance. We have shown that blocking the Abeta/ApoE interaction with Abeta12-28P, a nontoxic blood-brain-barrier permeable and non-fibrillogenic synthetic peptide, constitutes a novel therapeutic approach for AD by reducing Abeta parenchymal deposition. In the present study, we investigate this therapeutic effect on CAA in the transgenic (Tg) AD mice model (TgSwDI), which expresses Swedish (K670N/M671L), Dutch (E693Q)/Iowa (D694N) AbetaPP mutations. These mice develop abundant CAA beginning at the age of 6 months. Behavioral results show that A12-28P treated TgSwDI AD mice performed the same as wild-type mice, whereas vehicle treated TgSwDI were impaired in spatial memory. Furthermore, this treatment resulted in a significant reduction of total amyloid burden, especially the fibrillar vascular amyloid burden, which importantly was accompanied by a reduction in microhemorrhages and neuroinflammation. Measurement of Abeta levels in the brain homogenate revealed a significant decrease in both the total amount of Abeta and Abeta oligomer levels in A12-28P treated TgSwDI mice. These findings suggest that blocking the Abeta/ApoE interaction is a highly effective therapeutic approach for vascular amyloid deposition, in contrast to some other therapeutic approaches

Prion diseases currently have no effective therapy. These illnesses affect both animal and human populations, and are characterized by the conformational change of a normal self protein PrP(C) (C for cellular) to a pathological and infectious conformer, PrP(Sc) (Sc for scrapie). We used a well characterized tissue culture model of prion infection, where mouse neuroblastoma cells (N2a) were infected with 22L PrP(Sc), to screen compounds for anti-prion activity. In a prior study we designed a library of styryl based, potential imaging compounds which were selected for high affinity binding to Alzheimer's disease beta-amyloid plaques and good blood-brain barrier permeability. In the current study we screened this library for activity in the N2a/22L tissue culture system. We also tested the anti-prion activity of two clinically used drugs, trimipramine and fluphenazine, in the N2a/22L system. These were selected based on their structural similarity to quinacrine, which was previously reported to have anti-prion activity. All the compounds were also screened for toxicity in tissue culture and their ability to disaggregate amyloid fibrils composed of PrP and beta-amyloid synthetic peptides in vitro. Two of the imaging agents, 23I and 59, were found to be both effective at inhibiting prion infection in N2a/22L tissue culture and to be non-toxic. These two compounds, as well as trimipramine and fluphenazine were evaluated in vivo using wild-type CD-1 mice infected peripherally with 139A PrP(Sc). All four agents significantly prolonged the asymptomatic incubation period of prion infection (p<0.0001 log-rank test), as well as significantly reducing the degree of spongiform change, astrocytosis and PrP(Sc) levels in the brains of treated mice. These four compounds can be considered, with further development, as candidates for prion therapy