No abstract

Graphical AbstractAn illustrative scheme summarizing the main outcomes in Swiss mice fed high-fat diet (HFD), with their exact time of onset of changes in the hippocampus. An increase in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, together with the permeability of the blood–brain barrier was detected after 2 days of HFD. Even in the first week of dietary intervention, memory and learning impairment, depressive-like behavior, and synaptic changes were observed at 3, 5, and 7 days, respectively. Later hippocampal alterations (after 4 weeks of HFD consumption) include mitochondrial dysfunction and astrocytic activation.

No abstract

No abstract

Familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by inherited genetic abnormalities that directly or indirectly affect the function of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor. This condition is characterized by defective catabolism of LDL which results in increased plasma cholesterol concentrations and premature coronary artery disease. Nevertheless, there is increasing preclinical and clinical evidence indicating that familial hypercholesterolemia subjects show a particularly high incidence of mild cognitive impairment. Moreover, the LDL receptor (LDLr) has been implicated as the main central nervous system apolipoprotein E receptor that regulates amyloid deposition in distinct mouse models of β-amyloidosis. In this regard, herein we hypothesized that the lack of LDLr would enhance the susceptibility to amyloid-β-(Aβ)-induced neurotoxicity in mice. Using the acute intracerebroventricular injection of aggregated Aβ(1-40) peptide (400 pmol/mouse), a useful approach for the investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in Aβ toxicity, we observed oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neuronal membrane damage within the hippocampus of C57BL/6 wild-type mice, which were associated with spatial reference memory and working memory impairments. In addition, our data show that LDLr knockout (LDLr(-/-)) mice, regardless of Aβ treatment, displayed memory deficits and increased blood-brain barrier permeability. Nonetheless, LDLr(-/-) mice treated with Aβ(1-40) peptide presented increased acetylcholinesterase activity, astrogliosis, oxidative imbalance, and cell permeability within the hippocampus in comparison with Aβ(1-40)-treated C57BL/6 wild-type mice. Overall, the present study shows that the lack of LDLr increases the susceptibility to Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in mice providing new evidence about the crosslink between familial hypercholesterolemia and cognitive impairment.