Abstract
Background: Age is the most common risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the hallmarks of toxic amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau tangles. Moreover, sub-physiological brain insulin levels have emerged as a pathological manifestation of AD. Objective: Identify age-related changes in the plasma disposition and blood-brain barrier (BBB) trafficking of Aβ peptides and insulin in mice. Methods: Upon systemic injection of 125I-Aβ40, 125I-Aβ42, or 125I-insulin, the plasma pharmacokinetics and brain influx were assessed in wild-type (WT) or AD transgenic (APP/PS1) mice at various ages. Additionally, publicly available single-cell RNA-Seq data [GSE129788] was employed to investigate pathways regulating BBB transport in WT mice at different ages. Results: The brain influx of 125I-Aβ40, estimated as the permeability-surface area product, decreased with age, accompanied by an increase in plasma AUC. In contrast, the brain influx of 125I-Aβ42 increased with age, accompanied by a decrease in plasma AUC. The age-dependent changes observed in WT mice were accelerated in APP/PS1 mice. As seen with 125I-Aβ40, the brain influx of 125I-insulin decreased with age in WT mice, accompanied by an increase in plasma AUC. This finding was further supported by dynamic single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging studies. RAGE and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways at the BBB, which are implicated in Aβ and insulin transcytosis, respectively, were upregulated with age in WT mice, indicating BBB insulin resistance. Conclusion: Aging differentially affects the plasma pharmacokinetics and brain influx of Aβ isoforms and insulin in a manner that could potentially augment AD risk.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1031-1044 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Journal of Alzheimer's Disease |
Volume | 85 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics [Grant 00056030], the Dr. Paul B. Myrdal Memorial Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutics, the Ronald J. Sawchuk Fellowship in Pharmacokinetics, and the Theodore H. Rowell Graduate Fellowship.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 - IOS Press. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Aging
- amyloid-β
- blood-brain barrier
- insulin
- pharmacokinetics