Efeito neuroprotetor do exercício de natação em um modelo de doença de Alzheimer induzido pelo peptídeo beta-amilóide (1-42) em camundongos: relevância de citocinas inflamatórias e ativação da indoleamina-2,3-dioxigenase

Abstract

Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative form of dementia. Aging is the most important risk factor for AD with the estimated annual incidence and prevalence rising dramatically with age. The primary presentation of AD is progressive cognitive decline, with memory loss being a relatively early sign of the disease. Nevertheless, AD patients also frequently exhibit behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), also known as neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, including depression, anxiety and psychosis, worsening the disability and caregiver burden. Despite de exact mechanisms are not completely understood, emerging evidence indicates that the activation of indoleamine-2,3-dyoxigenase (IDO), a first and rate-limiting enzyme in the kynurenine (KYN) pathway, is involved in amyloid-beta (A?1-42)-neurotoxicity and AD pathogenesis. Physical exercise has been considered an effective intervention in AD, attenuating or limiting their progression. Nevertheless, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of exercise have not yet been fully elucidated. In view of this, in the current study we sought to investigate three main issues. First, the effects of an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of A?1-42 peptide (400 pmol/mice; 3 ?l/site) on the regulation of KP biomarkers (IDO activity, tryptophan (TRP) and kynurenine (KYN) levels) and the impact of A?1-42 on neurotrophic factors levels were investigated as potential mechanisms linking neuroinflammation to cognitive/emotional disturbances in mice. Second, we examined whether aging is associated with a higher sensitivity to behavioural and neurochemical alterations elicited by A?1-42 injection, and whether KYN pathway is involved in these effects. Ultimately, we investigated the protective effect of an 8-week swimming training (ST) exercise on cognitive and non-cognitive functions and its role in modulating biomarkers of KYN pathway post A?1-42 administration into the mouse brain. Our results showed increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the A?1-42-treated mice, which led to an increase in IDO activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus (HC). The IDO activation subsequently increased KYN production and the KYN/TRP ratio and decreased the levels of neurotrophic factors in the PFC and HC, contributing for the following A?-associated behavioral disturbances: memory impairment in the object recognition test (ORT), depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviour in the tail suspension test (TST) and elevated plus-maze test (EPMT), respectively. In addition, we confirmed that aged mice, when compared to young mice, displayed higher cognitive deficit in the ORT and higher anxiety-like behaviour in 4 the EPMT after the A?1-42 administration. Aged mice also responded to A?1-42 with a higher deficiency of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glutathione levels and total radical-trapping antioxidant capacity, a higher IDO activity and a higher KYN and KYN/tryptophan ratio in the PFC and HC. These effects of A?1-42 were associated with a higher proinflammatory status, as reflected by elevated interleukin-6 levels and reduced interleukin-10 levels in these brain structures. On the other hand, our results demonstrated that ST was effective in preventing the memory impairment in the ORT and depressive/anxiety-like behaviour in the TST and EPMT, respectively. ST abrogated the neuroinflammatory response and neurotrophic deficiency in the PFC and HC induced by A?1-42. Also, A?1-42 increased IDO activity, KYN and TRP levels and KYN:TRP ratio in the PFC and HC – alterations that were blocked by ST. Therefore, the present study provides three main findings: (I) brain IDO activation plays a key role in mediating the memory and emotional disturbances in an experimental model based on A?-induced neuroinflammation; (II) the age-associated inflammatory signature and down-regulation of endogenous neuroprotectants in the brain render aged mice more vulnerable to A?1-42-induced memory loss, anxiety symptoms and KYN pathway dysregulation; and (III) ST is effective in preventing behavioural and neurobiological deficits induced by A?1-42, and these neuroprotective effects are likely to involve the inhibition of inflammation/IDO activation and up-regulation of neurotrophic factors in brain of mice. In conclusion, we suggest that physical exercise can be used as a non-pharmacological approach to alleviates both cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms associated with aging and AD.