Alzheimer therapy with an antibody against N-terminal Abeta 4-X and pyroglutamate Abeta 3-X

Sci Rep. 2015 Dec 2:5:17338. doi: 10.1038/srep17338.

Abstract

Full-length Aβ1-42 and Aβ1-40, N-truncated pyroglutamate Aβ3-42 and Aβ4-42 are major variants in the Alzheimer brain. Aβ4-42 has not been considered as a therapeutic target yet. We demonstrate that the antibody NT4X and its Fab fragment reacting with both the free N-terminus of Aβ4-x and pyroglutamate Aβ3-X mitigated neuron loss in Tg4-42 mice expressing Aβ4-42 and completely rescued spatial reference memory deficits after passive immunization. NT4X and its Fab fragment also rescued working memory deficits in wild type mice induced by intraventricular injection of Aβ4-42. NT4X reduced pyroglutamate Aβ3-x, Aβx-40 and Thioflavin-S positive plaque load after passive immunization of 5XFAD mice. Aβ1-x and Aβx-42 plaque deposits were unchanged. Importantly, for the first time, we demonstrate that passive immunization using the antibody NT4X is therapeutically beneficial in Alzheimer mouse models showing that N-truncated Aβ starting with position four in addition to pyroglutamate Aβ3-x is a relevant target to fight Alzheimer's disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Alzheimer Disease / immunology
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Passive / methods*
  • Mice
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology*
  • Rats

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)