Browsing by Author "Warren, Rebekkah Lynn"
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Item Genetic Reduction of Cholesterol Synthesis in the Mouse Brain Does Not Affect Amyloid Formation in an Alzheimer’s Disease Model, but Does Extend Lifespan(2011-08-26T17:35:30Z) Warren, Rebekkah Lynn; Russell, David W.In vitro alterations in cellular cholesterol content or synthesis affect the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) to amyloidogenic peptides characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To determine whether a decrease in cholesterol synthesis would affect APP processing in vivo, we crossed cholesterol 24-hydroxylase knockout (KO) mice, which exhibit a 50 percent reduction in sterol synthesis, with transgenic mice (B6.Cg-Tg(APPswe, PSEN1E9)85Dbo/J) that develop AD and followed progression of the disease and lipid metabolism in the offspring. APP expression and amyloid plaque deposition in the cortex and hippocampus of 3- to 15-month-old male and female AD mice were similar in the presence and absence of cholesterol 24-hydroxylase. At 15 months of age, a modest but statistically significant decline in insoluble A-beta 40 and A-beta 42 peptide levels was detected in the hippocampus but not cortex of KO/AD mice versus WT/AD mice. Amyloid plaque accumulation did not affect brain sterol or fatty acid synthesis rates in 24-hydroxylase WT or KO mice. Unexpectedly, loss of one or two 24-hydroxylase alleles increased longevity in AD mice. These studies suggest that reducing de novo cholesterol synthesis in the brain will not substantially alter the course of AD, but may confer a survival advantage.