Abstract
Introduction: Synapse loss is the structural correlate of the cognitive decline indicative of dementia. In the brains of Alzheimer's disease sufferers, amyloid β (Aβ) peptides aggregate to form senile plaques but as soluble peptides are toxic to synapses. We previously demonstrated that Aβ induces Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1), which in turn activates the Wnt–planar cell polarity (Wnt-PCP) pathway to drive tau pathology and neuronal death. Methods: We compared the effects of Aβ and of Dkk1 on synapse morphology and memory impairment while inhibiting or silencing key elements of the Wnt-PCP pathway. Results: We demonstrate that Aβ synaptotoxicity is also Dkk1 and Wnt-PCP dependent, mediated by the arm of Wnt-PCP regulating actin cytoskeletal dynamics via Daam1, RhoA and ROCK, and can be blocked by the drug fasudil. Discussion: Our data add to the importance of aberrant Wnt signaling in Alzheimer's disease neuropathology and indicate that fasudil could be repurposed as a treatment for the disease.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 306-317 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Alzheimer's and Dementia |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2018 |
Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease
- Amyloid
- DAAM1
- Dickkopf-1
- Fasudil
- Planar cell polarity
- ROCK
- Synapse
- Synaptotoxicity
- Wnt
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Health Policy
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Psychiatry and Mental health