Open AccessA single systemic inflammatory insult causes acute motor deficits and accelerates disease progression in a mouse model of human tauopathy
Author(s) -
Torvell Megan,
Hampton David W.,
Connick Peter,
MacLullich Alasdair M.J.,
Cunningham Colm,
Chandran Siddharthan
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: translational research and clinical interventions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.49
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 2352-8737
DOI - 10.1016/j.trci.2019.09.001
Subject(s) - tauopathy , neurodegeneration , neuroinflammation , medicine , inflammation , neuroscience , systemic inflammation , disease , dementia , immunology , pathology , psychology
Neuroinflammation, which contributes to neurodegeneration, is a consistent hallmark of dementia. Emerging evidence suggests that systemic inflammation also contributes to disease progression. Methods The ability of systemically administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS ‐ 500 μg/kg) to effect acute and chronic behavioural changes in C57BL/6 and P301S tauopathy mice was assessed. Markers of pathology were assessed in the brain and spinal cord. Results P301S mice display regional microgliosis. Systemic LPS treatment induced exaggerated acute sickness behaviour and motor dysfunction in P301S mice compared with wild‐type controls and advanced the onset and accelerated chronic decline. LPS treatment was associated with increased tau pathology 24 hours after LPS injection and spinal cord microgliosis at the end stage. Discussion This is the first demonstration that a single systemic inflammatory episode causes exaggerated acute functional impairments and accelerates the long‐term trajectory of functional decline associated with neurodegeneration in a mouse model of human tauopathy. The findings have relevance to management of human dementias.