Folate/vitamin-B12 prevents chronic hyperhomocysteinemia-induced tau hyperphosphorylation and memory deficits in aged rats

J Alzheimers Dis. 2011;27(3):639-50. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2011-110770.

Abstract

Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous work has demonstrated that combined folate and vitamin B12 (vit-B12) supplementation prevents tau hyperphosphorylation and memory deficits induced by acute administration of homocysteine in young rats. Here, we further investigated whether folate/vit-B12 supplementation is also effective in aged rats with a chronically high level of homocysteine. 18-month-old rats were injected with homocysteine via the vena caudalis with or without a concurrent folate/vit-B12 supplementation for 28 weeks. We found that hyperhomocysteinemia induced tau hyperphosphorylation and accumulation in hippocampus and cortex. Concurrent signaling changes included the activation of glycogen synthase kinases-3β, cyclin-dependent kinase-5, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and p38MAPK, and inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A. Although the ability to learn was not affected, the aged rats exhibited significant memory deficits. Folate/vit-B12 supplementation attenuated these biochemical and behavioral correlates. These data demonstrate that folate/vit-B12 supplementation is also effective in a chronic hyperhomocysteinemia model in reversing the AD-like tau pathologies and memory deficits.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / drug effects
  • Aging / metabolism*
  • Aging / psychology
  • Animals
  • Chronic Disease
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Folic Acid / administration & dosage*
  • Hyperhomocysteinemia / metabolism*
  • Hyperhomocysteinemia / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / metabolism*
  • Memory Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Phosphorylation / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Vitamin B 12 / administration & dosage*
  • tau Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • tau Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • tau Proteins
  • Folic Acid
  • Vitamin B 12