Repeated cold exposures protect a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease against cold-induced tau phosphorylation

Autor: Sébastien S. Hébert, Ruben D. Martinez-Cano, Philippe Bourassa, Frédéric Calon, Emmanuel Planel, Marine Tournissac, Tra-My Vu
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Molecular Metabolism, Vol 22, Iss, Pp 110-120 (2019)
Molecular Metabolism
ISSN: 2212-8778
Popis: Objective Old age is associated with a rise in the incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but also with thermoregulatory deficits. Indicative of a link between the two, hypothermia induces tau hyperphosphorylation. The 3xTg-AD mouse model not only develops tau and amyloid pathologies in the brain but also metabolic and thermoregulatory deficits. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is the main thermogenic driver in mammals, and its stimulation counteracts metabolic deficits in rodents and humans. We thus investigated whether BAT stimulation impedes AD neuropathology. Methods 15-month-old 3xTg-AD mice were subjected to repeated short cold exposures (RSCE), consisting of 4-hour sessions of cold exposure (4 °C), five times per week for four weeks, compared to animals kept at housing temperature. Results First, we confirmed that 3xTg-AD RSCE-trained mice exhibited BAT thermogenesis and improved glucose tolerance. RSCE-trained mice were completely resistant to tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus induced by a 24-hour cold challenge. Finally, RSCE increased plasma levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a batokine, which inversely correlated with hippocampal tau phosphorylation. Conclusions Overall, BAT stimulation through RSCE improved metabolic deficits and completely blocked cold-induced tau hyperphosphorylation in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of AD neuropathology. These results suggest that improving thermogenesis could exert a therapeutic effect in AD.
Highlights • Cold acclimation increases brown adipose tissue thermogenesis in old 3xTg-AD mice. • Cold acclimation improved glucose tolerance in old 3xTg-AD mice. • Enhanced thermogenesis protects against cold-induced brain tau phosphorylation. • Repeated cold exposures increased plasmatic levels of fibroblast growth factor 21. • Peripheral fibroblast growth factor 21 levels correlate with tau phosphorylation.
Databáze: OpenAIRE