Long-term in vivo imaging of β-amyloid plaque appearance and growth in a mouse model of cerebral β-amyloidosis

J Neurosci. 2011 Jan 12;31(2):624-9. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5147-10.2011.

Abstract

Extracellular deposition of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) in the brain parenchyma is a hallmark lesion of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a predictive marker for the progression of preclinical to symptomatic AD. Here, we used multiphoton in vivo imaging to study Aβ plaque formation in the brains of 3- to 4-month-old APPPS1 transgenic mice over a period of 6 months. A novel head fixation system provided robust and efficient long-term tracking of single plaques over time. Results revealed an estimated rate of 35 newly formed plaques per cubic millimeter of neocortical volume per week at 4-5 months of age. At later time points (i.e., in the presence of increasing cerebral β-amyloidosis), the number of newly formed plaques decreased. On average, both newly formed and existing plaques grew at a similar growth rate of 0.3 μm (radius) per week. A solid knowledge of the dynamics of cerebral β-amyloidosis in mouse models provides a powerful tool to monitor preclinical Aβ targeting therapeutic strategies and eases the interpretation of diagnostic amyloid imaging in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Amyloidosis / pathology*
  • Animals
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Female
  • Gliosis / pathology
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microglia / pathology
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton
  • Plaque, Amyloid / pathology*
  • Staining and Labeling

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins