Project description:We characterize the meningeal leukocyte (CD45+ cells) in wild-type and 3xTg-AD mice, a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Project description:We characterize the brain infiltrating leukocyte (CD45high cells) in wild-type and 3xTg-AD mice, a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Project description:We characterize the brain infiltrating leukocyte (CD45high cells) in wild-type and 3xTg-AD mice, a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Project description:The 3xTg-AD mouse is a widely used model in the study of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It has been extensively characterized both from the anatomical and behavioral point of view but poorly studied at the transcriptomic level. For the first time, this study characterizes the whole blood transcriptome of the 3xTg-AD mouse at three and six months of age and evaluates how gene expression is modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). RNA-seq analysis revealed 183 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were a direct signature of the genetic background of the mouse. The expression profile of age-related genes in the 3 months-old 3xTg-AD mice was more similar to that of 6 months rather than 3 months-control mice, suggesting a premature aging of the 3xTg-AD mice. Moreover, in the 6 months-old 3xTg-AD mice, we observed a high number of DEGs that could represent good peripheral biomarkers of AD progression. Finally, tDCS was associated with gene expression changes in the 3xTg-AD but not in the control mice. In conclusion, this study provides a better molecular characterization of the 3xTg-AD mouse and suggests that blood gene expression can be used to identify new biomarkers of AD progression and treatments effect.
Project description:ILC2 are potent producers of IL-5 and IL-13 and Th2 cytokines. We have found that 3xTg-AD mice exhibit diminished ILC2 numbers and functionality in the brain barriers. We have found through scRNA-seq that cultured brain ILC2 from 7 months old 3xTg-AD mice expressed significantly less IL-5 ane Areg but increased Gzma and Gzmb.
Project description:Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients exhibit neuropsychiatric symptoms that extend beyond classical cognitive deficits, suggesting involvement of subcortical areas. Here, we investigated the role of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons in AD using the amyloid + tau-driven 3xTg-AD mouse model. We found deficits in reward-based operant learning in AD mice, suggesting possible VTA DA neuron dysregulation. Physiological assessment revealed hyperexcitability and disrupted firing in DA neurons caused by reduced activity of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels. RNA sequencing from contents of single patch-clamped DA neurons (Patch-seq) identified up-regulation of the SK channel modulator casein kinase 2 (CK2). Pharmacological inhibition of CK2 restored SK channel activity and normal firing patterns in 3xTg-AD mice. These findings shed light on a complex interplay between neuropsychiatric symptoms and subcortical circuits in AD, paving the way for novel treatment strategies.
Project description:The goals of this study are to compare transcriptome profiling (RNA-seq) in wild-type (NTG) and 3xTg-AD mice, to determine the transcriptomal changes of neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPC) from the SGZ at early stages of Alzheimer's Disease in a mouse model. Methods: A tamoxifen (TAM)-inducible Nestin-CreERT2;ROSA26-EYFP reporter mouse line was cross-bred with NTG or 3xTG-AD mice to label NSPC upon TAM administration. YFP-positive NSPCs were sorted through FACS (Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting) 10 days after TAM from NTG; Nestin-CreERT2;ROSA26-EYFP and 3xTg-AD;Nestin-CreERT2;ROSA26-EYFP mice. RNA was extracted with RNeasy Micro Kit and deep-sequenced on the NovaSeq SP flowcell SR200 platform. The sequence reads of Fastq files that passed quality filters were aligned to the mouse genome (build mm10) using hisat2. Samtools was used to index the BAM files. DESeq2 was used to establish differential gene expression between NTG and 3xTg-AD samples. Results: We mapped about 48 million sequence reads per sample to the mouse genome (build mm10) and identified 1391 genes that were differentially expressed in the 3xTg-AD, with 720 down- and 671 up-regulated. Genes were considered significantly different between two genotypes if they meet the following criteria: 1) adjusted p-value < 0.05, and 2) log2 fold change > 0.5 or < -0.5. Conclusions: Gene ontology analysis of differentially expressed genes uncovered several pathways that may contribute to early neural stem cell decline in the 3xTg mice. Our results revealed very early perturbations in the SGZ neurogenic niche in the 3xTg mouse model of AD, manifested by intrinsic molecular changes in neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPC) at juvenile age, resulting in dysregulated neural stem cell homeostasis.