Cited by 185Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsMitochondrial Function and PathologyDementia and Cognitive Impairment Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 47 of the 49 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 15 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Mitochondrial alterations near amyloid plaques in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model

Open access
Xie, Hong, Guan, JiSong, Borrelli, Laura A., Xu, Jing, Serrano-Pozo, Alberto, Bacskai, Brian J.·2013·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

While accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) deposited as senile plaques is a hallmark feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the neurotoxicity of these deposits remains controversial. Recent in vitro studies suggested a link between elevated Aβ and mitochondrial dysfunction that might contribute to the pathogenesis of AD. However, the in vivo evidence for mitochondria dysfunction caused by Aβ is still missing. Using intravital multiphoton imaging with a range of fluorescent markers, we systematically surveyed mitochondrial structural and functional changes in AD mouse models. We observed severe impairments to be limited to the vicinity of Aβ plaques, which included reduction of both numbers and membrane potential of mitochondria and the emergence of dystrophic and fragmented mitochondria. Both neuronal soma and neurites with oxidative stress show severe alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential in amyloid precursor protein mice. These results provide in vivo evidence revealing Aβ plaques as focal sources of toxicity that lead to severe structural and functional abnormalities in mitochondria. These alterations may contribute to neuronal network dysfunction and warrant further investigation as possible targets for therapeutic intervention in AD.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Using intravital multiphoton imaging in APPswe:PSEN1dE9 mice, this study found that mitochondrial structural and functional abnormalities are largely restricted to the immediate vicinity of amyloid plaques. Mitochondria far from plaques appeared mostly normal, whereas near plaques there was mitochondrial loss, fragmentation/swelling, and reduced membrane potential.

Key findings

  • Mitochondrial burden was significantly decreased within 16 µm of plaque borders compared with areas far from plaques (n = 13 plaques from 4 animals).
  • Mitochondrial swelling was detected near 26 of 109 imaged/analyzed plaques from six animals, while cytosolic GFP-labeled neurites showed dystrophic morphology near all plaques (7 animals). Fragmented mitochondria occurred in 18 neurons from six Tg mice, with lengths of 2–4 µm; fragmented-mitochondria neurons were 38.4 ± 9.2 per mm³ in Tg mice versus 2.1 ± 1.4 per mm³ in Wt mice (n = 6 mice per genotype).
  • Far from plaques (>50 µm), mitochondrial function did not differ significantly between Tg and Wt mice: JC-1 red/green ratio was 2.04 ± 0.16 in Wt versus 2.19 ± 0.15 in Tg (n = 12 imaging sites from 3 animals each), and MTR/MTG ratio was 4.03 ± 0.16 in Wt versus 4.35 ± 0.19 in Tg.
  • Near plaques, MMP decreased over a ~20 µm radius: JC-1 ratio fell to 83% of the far-from-plaque value (n = 17 plaques from 5 animals); TMRE showed reduced signal near plaques (n = 46 plaques from 3 animals); MTR/MTG ratio decreased near plaques (n = 18 plaques from 4 animals). Dystrophic neurites had lower TMRE signal than normal neurites (0.38 ± 0.02, n = 80 vs 0.97 ± 0.01, n = 82; 5 animals), and oxidized neurons/neurites also showed reduced MMP (oxidized neurons 0.15 ± 0.03, n = 12 vs normal 0.97 ± 0.01, n = 93; oxidized neurites 0.38 ± 0.02, n = 80 vs normal 0.96 ± 0.01, n = 82; 3 animals). CAA did not reduce MMP in smooth muscle cells of leptomeningeal vessels (n ≥ 21 vessels from 5 mice).

Methods

  • Intravital multiphoton imaging was performed in living APPswe:PSEN1dE9 transgenic mice (7–10 months old) and age-matched nontransgenic littermate controls, using cranial window implantation and methoxy-XO4 labeling of amyloid plaques.
  • Mitochondria were labeled with viral mtGFP (lentivirus and AAV), AAV-GFP, AAV-roGFP, and mitochondrial dyes including MTR, MTG, TMRE, JC-1, DiOC6, and MitoFluo Red 589; FCCP was used to validate MMP-sensitive dyes, and COX IV immunostaining assessed mitochondrial loss.
  • Image stacks were processed with ImageJ and IDL; plaque boundaries were defined at half-maximum methoxy-XO4 fluorescence, mitochondrial signal was measured in concentric bands (4 or 6 µm intervals), and data were reported as mean ± SE with t tests.

Limitations

  • The paper states that the MTR/MTG ratio might be affected by differential diffusion/penetration rates of the two dyes in tissue, so caution is needed when imaging deep structures.
  • The paper notes that lentivirus infects neurons and glial cells, so signal decreases near plaques might reflect mitochondrial loss in both cell types; AAV-mediated neuronal labeling was used to address this.
  • Evident from the text: findings are from an AD mouse model and correlational in vivo imaging, not human AD tissue or causal manipulation; the study also does not establish the sequence linking calcium dysregulation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial abnormalities, which the authors identify as important for future experiments.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.1836-13.2013

Cites

47 of 47 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

55 Own result · 20 Own interpretation · 11 Own method · 9 Not checked yet · 3 No basis given

Verify all 15 references — free account
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 14
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 9
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
19 of 19
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The APPswe:PSEN1dE9 mouse model is a valid model for studying A␤ plaque-associated mitochondrial alterations in Alzheimer's disease.

    “Transgenic mice (7 to 10 months old) of either sex expressing mutant human APPswe/human PS1-⌬E9 were used along with age-matched nontransgenic littermate controls (Borchelt et al., 1997).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    FCCP collapses mitochondrial membrane potential.

    “To collapse the mitochondrial membrane potential, carbonyl cyanide 4-[trifluoromethoxy] phenylhydrazone (FCCP, 10 M; Sigma) was applied to the left hemisphere before MTR and MTG loading.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There is limited evidence examining the role of mitochondria in vivo, particularly in the presence of classical AD pathology such as senile plaques.

    “While these results, as well as investigations in postmortem human tissue, have built a strong case for mitochondrial dysfunction in AD, there is limited evidence examining the role of mitochondria in vivo, particularly in the presence of classical AD pathology, e.g., senile plaques.”
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Metadata

Authors
Xie, H., Guan, J., Borrelli, L. A., Xu, J., Serrano-Pozo, A., & Bacskai, B. J.
Affiliations
  • Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
  • Tsinghua University (CN)
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2013-10-23
Volume
33
Issue
43
Pages
17042-17051
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2035815961
Cited by
185
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 2
FWCI
12.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Public Health Service (2011Z02143, NCSF31100776)
  • National Institute on Aging (AG024688, R01AG024688)
  • National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (EB 000768, R01EB000768)
  • National Center for Research Resources (S10RR025645)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, amyloid plaques, mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial fragmentation, oxidative stress, neurites, neurotoxicity
MeSH terms
Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Mice, Transgenic, Mitochondria, Neurites, Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor, Oxidative Stress, Mice, Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial, Plaque, Amyloid

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