Magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis of Alzheimer's disease mouse brain that express mutant human APP shows altered neurochemical profile

Transgenic mice that express mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP(Tg2576)) develop beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques throughout the cortex starting at 10-12 months of age. We examined the neurochemical profile of APP(Tg2576) mice using in vitro and in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS); gross abnormalities using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and plaque distribution; size and number using immunohistochemistry. Transgenic mice were anesthetized with halothane and scanned at 4.7 T using T2-weighted imaging and in vivo MRS of frontal cortex. In vitro MRS was run from brain extracts of frontal cortex in both APP and wild-type mice. Mice were also perfused and brains were collected and cut for immunohistochemistry. We found that N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate and glutathione were decreased by 17%, 22% and 36%, respectively, in the cerebral cortex of APP transgenic mice at 19 months of age when A deposits are widespread. Taurine was increased 21% compared to wild-type. Decreased levels of NAA and increased levels of taurine are consistent with decreased neuronal viability and increased glial volume, and are similar to findings of decreased NAA and increased myoinositol in human Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Correlation between the severity of Abeta deposition and altered neurochemical profile remains to be studied. Nevertheless, the altered neurochemical profile may be a valuable marker to test therapeutics in this mouse model. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.