Cited by 114Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

Hippocampal disruptions of synaptic and astrocyte metabolism are primary events of early amyloid pathology in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

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Andersen, Jens V., Skotte, Niels H., Christensen, Sofie K., Polli, Filip S., Shabani, Mohammad, Markussen, Kia H., Haukedal, Henriette, Westi, Emil W. +10 more·2021·Cell Death & Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an unremitting neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and gradual decline in cognitive function. Changes in brain energy metabolism arise in the preclinical phase of AD, suggesting an important metabolic component of early AD pathology. Neurons and astrocytes function in close metabolic collaboration, which is essential for the recycling of neurotransmitters in the synapse. However, this crucial metabolic interplay during the early stages of AD development has not been sufficiently investigated. Here, we provide an integrative analysis of cellular metabolism during the early stages of Aβ accumulation in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the 5xFAD mouse model of AD. Our electrophysiological examination revealed an increase in spontaneous excitatory signaling in the 5xFAD hippocampus. This hyperactive neuronal phenotype coincided with decreased hippocampal tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolism mapped by stable 13 C isotope tracing. Particularly, reduced astrocyte TCA cycle activity and decreased glutamine synthesis led to hampered neuronal GABA synthesis in the 5xFAD hippocampus. In contrast, the cerebral cortex of 5xFAD mice displayed an elevated capacity for oxidative glucose metabolism, which may suggest a metabolic compensation in this brain region. We found limited changes when we explored the brain proteome and metabolome of the 5xFAD mice, supporting that the functional metabolic disturbances between neurons and astrocytes are early primary events in AD pathology. In addition, synaptic mitochondrial and glycolytic function was selectively impaired in the 5xFAD hippocampus, whereas non-synaptic mitochondrial function was maintained. These findings were supported by ultrastructural analyses demonstrating disruptions in mitochondrial morphology, particularly in the 5xFAD hippocampus. Collectively, our study reveals complex regional and cell-specific metabolic adaptations in the early stages of amyloid pathology, which may be fundamental for the progressing synaptic dysfunctions in AD.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41419-021-04237-y

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  • Mutations in both APP and PSEN1 cause aberrant APP cleavage and clearance that lead to neuroinflammation, activation of astrocytes and microglia, and changes in bioenergetics.

    “Mutations in both APP and PSEN1 cause aberrant APP cleavage and clearance4,47 that lead to neuroinflammation, the activation of astrocytes and microglia, and changes in bioenergetics44,48.”

    From Magnetic resonance microscopy maps widespread effects of Alzheimer’s disease on brain structures and behavior in mice (2026) · cites this paper as [44]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) links Aβ accumulation to astrocyte changes and early metabolic changes in Alzheimer’s disease. The Discussion (page unavailable) reports altered astrocyte metabolism in 5xFAD mice, but does not establish the claimed chain from aberrant APP cleavage and clearance to neuroinflammation and microglial activation. The cleavage-and-clearance portion also has separate citations in the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Our positive findings contrast sharply with negative findings of the MODEL-AD consortium and other recent studies that have also used T1/T2 MRI and DTI methods.

    “Our positive findings contrast sharply with negative findings of the MODEL-AD consortium16 and other recent studies that have also used T1/T2 MRI and DTI methods7,44 (Supplementary Tables 2 and 3).”

    From Magnetic resonance microscopy maps widespread effects of Alzheimer’s disease on brain structures and behavior in mice (2026) · cites this paper as [44]

    The Materials and methods sections describe metabolic, proteomic, and electron-microscopy analyses, not T1/T2 MRI or DTI. The Discussion passage on regional brain metabolism does not report negative MRI findings or discuss the MODEL-AD consortium. Searches for those terms found no passage in our copy that addresses the attributed claim; page numbers were not available. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Authors
Andersen, J. V., Skotte, N. H., Christensen, S. K., Polli, F. S., Shabani, M., Markussen, K. H., Haukedal, H., Westi, E. W., Diaz-delCastillo, M., Sun, R. C., Kohlmeier, K. A., Schousboe, A., Gentry, M. S., Tanila, H., Freude, K. K., Aldana, B. I., Mann, M., & Waagepetersen, H. S.
Affiliations
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Scripps Research Institute (US)
  • Kerman University of Medical Sciences (IR)
  • University of Kentucky (US)
  • University of Eastern Finland (FI)
Corresponding author
  • Andersen, Jens V.
  • Waagepetersen, Helle S.
Venue
Cell Death & Disease
Published
2021-10-16
Volume
12
Issue
11
Pages
954-954
ISSN
2041-4889 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3206998885
Cited by
104
References
82
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 10
FWCI
11.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Death and Disease (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • SSRN Electronic Journal (acceptedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Hørslev-Fonden (203866)
  • Lundbeckfonden (R333‐2019‐1244, NNF14CC0001, R211-2015-3062, R338-2019-2997, R208‐2015‐2859)
  • Novo Nordisk (NNF14CC0001, NNF15CC0001)
  • Augustinus Fonden (18-1624)
  • Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF 14CC0001, NNF18OC0052369, NNF15CC0001)
  • Grosserer L. F. Foghts Fond
  • H. Lundbeck A/S
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG066653)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R35NS116824)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, 5xFAD mice, amyloid-beta deposition, hippocampus, astrocytes, neuronal metabolism, TCA cycle, glutamine synthesis, GABA synthesis, glucose oxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, glycolysis, synaptic dysfunction, neuronal hyperexcitability, cerebral cortex, brain energy metabolism, 13C isotope tracing
MeSH terms
Alzheimer Disease, Amyloid, Animals, Astrocytes, Cerebral Cortex, Citric Acid Cycle, Disease Models, Animal, Energy Metabolism, Glucose, Glutamine, Glycolysis, Hippocampus, Male, Mice, Transgenic, Mitochondria, Synapses, Signal Transduction, Neurotransmitter Agents, Proteome, Metabolome

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