Genetic Depletion of Amylin/Calcitonin Receptors Improves Memory and Learning in Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Models.

2021-10

Patel, Aarti

Kimura, Ryoichi

Fu, Wen

Soudy, Rania

MacTavish, David

Westaway, David

Yang, Jing

Davey, Rachel A

Zajac, Jeffrey D

Jhamandas, Jack H

Alzheimer’s disease

Amylin

Amylin receptor

Amyloid-β protein

Calcitonin receptor

Hippocampus

Long-term potentiation

Spatial memory

Journal Article

0000-0002-4688-6500

10.1007/s12035-021-02490-y

Based upon its interactions with amyloid β peptide (Aβ), the amylin receptor, a class B G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is a potential modulator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, past pharmacological approaches have failed to resolve whether activation or blockade of this receptor would have greater therapeutic benefit. To address this issue, we generated compound mice expressing a human amyloid precursor protein gene with familial AD mutations in combination with deficiency of amylin receptors produced by hemizygosity for the critical calcitonin receptor subunit of this heterodimeric GPCR. These compound transgenic AD mice demonstrated attenuated responses to human amylin- and Aβ-induced depression of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in keeping with the genetic depletion of amylin receptors. Both the LTP responses and spatial memory (as measured with Morris water maze) in these mice were improved compared to AD mouse controls and, importantly, a reduction in both the amyloid plaque burden and markers of neuroinflammation was observed. Our data support the notion of further development of antagonists of the amylin receptor as AD-modifying therapies.

link

Molecular neurobiology 2021-10; 58(10): 5369-5382

Molecular Neurobiology