A2A adenosine receptor deletion is protective in a mouse model of Tauopathy

C. Laurent, S. Burnouf, B. Ferry, V. L. Batalha, J. E. Coelho, Y. Baqi, E. Malik, E. Mariciniak, S. Parrot, A. Van Der Jeugd, E. Faivre, V. Flaten, C. Ledent, R. D'Hooge, N. Sergeant, M. Hamdane, S. Humez, C. E. Müller, L. V. Lopes, L. BuéeD. Blum*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

131 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Consumption of caffeine, a non-selective adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) antagonist, reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) in humans and mitigates both amyloid and Tau burden in transgenic mouse models. However, the impact of selective A2AR blockade on the progressive development of AD-related lesions and associated memory impairments has not been investigated. In the present study, we removed the gene encoding A2AR from THY-Tau22 mice and analysed the subsequent effects on both pathological (Tau phosphorylation and aggregation, neuro-inflammation) and functional impairments (spatial learning and memory, hippocampal plasticity, neurotransmitter profile). We found that deleting A2ARs protect from Tau pathology-induced deficits in terms of spatial memory and hippocampal long-term depression. These effects were concomitant with a normalization of the hippocampal glutamate/gamma-amino butyric acid ratio, together with a global reduction in neuro-inflammatory markers and a decrease in Tau hyperphosphorylation. Additionally, oral therapy using a specific A2AR antagonist (MSX-3) significantly improved memory and reduced Tau hyperphosphorylation in THY-Tau22 mice. By showing that A2AR genetic or pharmacological blockade improves the pathological phenotype in a Tau transgenic mouse model, the present data highlight A2A receptors as important molecular targets to consider against AD and Tauopathies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)97-107
Number of pages11
JournalMolecular Psychiatry
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 1 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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