A Derivative of the Brain Metabolite Lanthionine Ketimine Improves Cognition and Diminishes Pathology in the 3×Tg-AD Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease

• Published in: Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology Vol. 72; no. 10; pp. 955 - 969
• Main Authors: Hensley, Kenneth, Gabbita, S. Prasad, Venkova, Kalina, Hristov, Alexandar, Johnson, Ming F., Eslami, Pirooz, Harris-White, Marni E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England by American Association of Neuropathologists, Inc 01.10.2013; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy; Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Amino Acids, Sulfur - pharmacology; Amino Acids, Sulfur - therapeutic use; Animal cognition; Animals; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Brain - drug effects; Brain - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cognition - drug effects; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Kinases; Male; Maze Learning - drug effects; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Nesting Behavior - drug effects; Neurodegeneration; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - pathology; Pathology; Phosphorylation; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Proteins; Rodents; Studies; Sucrose
• ISSN: 0022-3069; 1554-6578
• DOI: 10.1097/NEN.0b013e3182a74372

ABSTRACTLanthionine ketimine ([LK] 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-thiazine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid) is the archetype for a family of naturally occurring brain sulfur amino acid metabolites, the physiologic function of which is unknown. Lanthionine ketimine and its synthetic derivatives have recently demonstrated neurotrophic, neuroprotective, and antineuroinflammatory properties in vitro through a proposed mechanism involving the microtubule-associated protein collapsin response mediator protein 2. Therefore, studies were undertaken to test the effects of a bioavailable LK ester in the 3×Tg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer disease. Lanthionine ketimine ester treatment substantially diminished cognitive decline and brain amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide deposition and phospho-Tau accumulation in 3×Tg-AD mice and also reduced the density of Iba1-positive microglia. Furthermore, LK ester treatment altered collapsin response mediator protein 2 phosphorylation. These findings suggest that LK may not be a metabolic waste but rather a purposeful neurochemical, the synthetic derivatives of which constitute a new class of experimental therapeutics for Alzheimer disease and related entities.