Hepatic soluble epoxide hydrolase activity regulates cerebral Aβ metabolism and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease in mice

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. However, how the role of peripheral organ changes in response to environmental stimuli during aging in AD pathogenesis remains unknown. Hepatic soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) activity increases with age. Hepatic sEH manipulation bidirectionally attenuates brain amyloid-β (Aβ) burden, tauopathy, and cognitive deficits in AD mouse models. Moreover, hepatic sEH manipulation bidirectionally regulates the plasma level of 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (-EET), which rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier and modulates brain Aβ metabolism through multiple pathways. A balance between the brain levels of 14,15-EET and Aβ is essential for preventing Aβ deposition. In AD models, 14,15-EET infusion mimicked the neuroprotective effects of hepatic sEH ablation at biological and behavioral levels. These results highlight the liver's key role in AD pathology, and targeting the liver-brain axis in response to environmental stimuli may constitute a promising therapeutic approach for AD prevention.

Keywords: 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid; Alzheimer’s disease; apolipoprotein E; liver; soluble epoxide hydrolase.