Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is mainly characterized by the deposition of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). While the recent 5xFAD AD mouse model exhibits many AD-related phenotypes and a relatively early and aggressive amyloid β production, it does not show NFTs. Here, we developed and evaluated a novel AD mouse model (6xTg-AD, 6xTg) by crossbreeding 5xFAD mice with mice expressing mutant (P301L) tau protein (MAPT). Through behavioral and histopathological tests, we analyzed cognitive changes and neuropathology in 6xTg mice compared to their respective parental strains according to age. Spatial memory deficits occurred in 6xTg mice at 2 months of age, earlier than they occurred in 5xFAD mice. Histopathological data revealed aggressive Aβ42 and p-tau accumulation in 6xTg mice. Microglial activation occurred in the cortex and hippocampus of 6xTg mice beginning at 2 months. In 6xTg model mice, the synaptic loss was observed in the cortex from 4 months of age and in the hippocampus from 6 months of age, and neuronal loss appeared in the cortex from 4 months of age and in the hippocampus 6 months of age, earlier than it is observed in the 5xFAD and JNPL3 models. These results showed that each pathological symptom appeared much faster than in their parental animal models. In conclusion, these novel 6xTg-AD mice might be an advanced animal model for studying AD, representing a promising approach to developing effective therapy.
Highlights
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is mainly characterized by the deposition of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs)
AD neuropathology is characterized by the deposition of extracellular amyloid plaques and the intracellular aggregation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs)[2,3,4]
Tg mouse models are largely based on the expression of specific genes with autosomal-dominant mutations of APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 found in earlyonset AD
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is mainly characterized by the deposition of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). In 6xTg model mice, the synaptic loss was observed in the cortex from 4 months of age and in the hippocampus from 6 months of age, and neuronal loss appeared in the cortex from 4 months of age and in the hippocampus 6 months of age, earlier than it is observed in the 5xFAD and JNPL3 models These results showed that each pathological symptom appeared much faster than in their parental animal models. The 5xFAD mouse expressing mutant APPswe/Ind/fl and PS1 with double FAD mutations (M146L and L286V) has been used in many preclinical studies This model presents a robust age-dependent amyloid plaque, preceded by an increase in soluble Aβ40 and Aβ42, and an AD-related phenotype at an early age[7]. The 3xTg mouse model has been widely used in AD studies[17], the widespread presence of plaques and tangles is typically not observed in these mice until old age, and even pathology is less than typically seen in A D18
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