Cytokines play an emerging role as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and neurohormones in the brain. This paradigm shift in cytokine function offers a new framework to understand their roles in ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Molecular adjuvant therapy of AD animal models with glatiramer acetate induces anti-inflammatory responses and therapeutic effects. Although these effects are potentially mediated through anti-inflammatory cytokine signaling, the exact molecular identities and pathways are poorly understood. Here, we show that virus-mediated expression of the mouse interleukin (IL)-4 gene in beta-amyloid precursor protein + presenilin-1 (APP+PS1) bigenic mice attenuates AD pathogenesis. Introduction of an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector encoding IL-4 into the hippocampus resulted in sustained expression of IL-4, reduced astro/microgliosis, amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) oligomerization and deposition, and enhanced neurogenesis. Moreover, increased levels of IL-4 improved spatial learning, promoted phosphorylation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B at Tyr 1472, and enhanced its cell surface retention both in vivo and in vitro. Our data suggest that neuronal anti-inflammatory cytokine signaling may be a potential alternative target for non-Abeta-mediated treatment of AD.

Brain inflammation is a double-edged sword: it is required for brain repair in acute damage, whereas chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders are neuropathogenic. Certain pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are closely related to cognitive dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Representative anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-10, can suppress neuroinflammation and have significant therapeutic potentials in ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we show that adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 2/1 hybrid-mediated neuronal expression of the mouse IL-10 gene ameliorates cognitive dysfunction in APP+PS1 bigenic mice. AAV2/1 infection of hippocampal neurons resulted in sustained expression of IL-10 without its leakage into the blood, reduced astro/microgliosis, enhanced plasma amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) levels, and enhanced neurogenesis. Moreover, increased levels of IL-10 improved spatial learning as determined by the radial arm water maze. Finally, IL-10-stimulated microglia enhanced proliferation but not differentiation of primary neural stem cells in the co-culture system, while IL-10 itself had no effect. Our data suggest that IL-10 gene delivery has a therapeutic potential for a non-Aβ-targeted treatment of AD.

Tau-tubulin kinase-1 (TTBK1) is involved in phosphorylation of tau protein at specific Serine/Threonine residues found in paired helical filaments, suggesting its role in tauopathy pathogenesis. We found that TTBK1 levels were upregulated in brains of human Alzheimer' disease (AD) patients compared with age-matched non-AD controls. To understand the effects of TTBK1 activation in vivo, we developed transgenic mice harboring human full-length TTBK1 genomic DNA (TTBK1-Tg). Transgenic TTBK1 is highly expressed in subiculum and cortical pyramidal layers, and induces phosphorylated neurofilament aggregation. TTBK1-Tg mice show significant age-dependent memory impairment as determined by radial arm water maze test, which is associated with enhancement of tau and neurofilament phosphorylation, increased levels of p25 and p35, both activators of cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 (CDK5), enhanced calpain I activity, and reduced levels of hippocampal NMDA receptor types 2B (NR2B) and D. Enhanced CDK5/p35 complex formation is strongly correlated with dissociation of F-actin from p35, suggesting the inhibitory mechanism of CDK5/p35 complex formation by F-actin. Expression of recombinant TTBK1 in primary mouse cortical neurons significantly downregulated NR2B in a CDK5-and calpaindependent manner. These data suggest that TTBK1 in AD brain may be one of the underlying mechanisms inducing CDK5 and calpain activation, NR2B downregulation, and subsequent memory dysfunction.

Accumulation of aggregated amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) has been studied as an initial step of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. Following amyloid plaque formation, reactive microglia and astrocytes accumulate around the plaques and cause neuroinflammation, where brain chemokines play a major role for the glial accumulation. We have previously shown that transgenic over-expression of chemokine CCL2 in the brain resulted in increased microglial accumulation and diffuse amyloid plaque deposition in a transgenic mouse model of AD expressing Swedish amyloid precursor protein (APP) mutant. Here we report that adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 1 and 2 hybrid efficiently deliver 7ND gene, a dominant-negative CCL2 mutant, in dose-response manner and express up to 1000-fold higher amount of recombinant CCL2 over basal level after single administration in brain. AAV1/2 hybrid virus mainly infected neurons without neuroinflammation, and the expression is sustained at least 6-months period. 7ND expressed in APP/presenilin-1 (APP/PS1) bigenic mice reduced astro/microgliosis, beta-amyloidosis, including suppression of both fibrillar and oligomer Aβ accumulation, and improved spatial learning. Our data support that AAV1/2 system is a useful tool for CNS gene delivery, and suppression of CCL2 may be a therapeutic target for the amelioration of AD-related neuroinflammation.

Tau-tubulin kinase-1 (TTBK1) phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein tau at specific serine/threonine residues found in paired helical filaments (PHFs), and its expression is up-regulated in the brain in Alzheimer disease, suggesting its role in tauopathy pathogenesis. To understand the effects of TTBK1 on tauopathy in vivo, we have developed bigenic mice overexpressing full-length TTBK1 and the P301L tau mutant. The bigenic mice show enhanced tau phosphorylation at multiple sites (AT8, 12E8, PHF-1, and pS422), tauC3-immunoreactive tau fragmentation, and accumulation of tau aggregates in cortical and hippocampal neurons at 12-13 mo of age. However, the phosphorylated tau aggregates were predominantly sarkosyl soluble and migrated in the light sucrose density fraction after discontinuous sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation, which suggests that they form small oligomers. The bigenic mice show significant locomotor dysfunction as determined by both rotorod and grip strength tests, as well as enhanced loss of motor neurons in the L4-L5 spinal cord. This neuronal dysfunction and degeneration was associated with increased levels of tau oligomers, cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 activators p35 and p25, and pY216 phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta. These data suggest that TTBK1 up-regulation enhances tau phosphorylation and oligomerization, whose toxicity results in enhanced neurodegeneration and locomotor dysfunction in a tauopathy animal model.