Amyloid-beta induced retrograde axonal degeneration in a mouse tauopathy model

White matter abnormalities, revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), are observed in patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), representing neural network deficits that underlie gradual cognitive decline in patients. However, how DTI changes related to the development of Amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau pathology, two key hallmarks of AD, remain elusive. We hypothesized that tauopathy induced by Aβ could initiate an axonal degeneration, leading to DTI-detectable white matter abnormalities. We utilized the visual system of the transgenic p301L tau mice as a model system. Aβ was injected in Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN), where the Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) axons terminate. Longitudinal DTI was conducted to detect changes in the optic tract (OT) and optic nerve (ON), containing the distal and proximal segments of RGC axons, respectively. Our results showed DTI changes in OT (significant 13.2% reduction in axial diffusion, AxD vs. vehicle controls) followed by significant alterations in ON AxD and fractional anisotropy, FA. Histology data revealed loss of synapses, RGC axons and cell bodies resulting from the Aβ injection. We further tested whether microtubule-stabilizing compound Epothilone D (EpoD) could ameliorate the damage. EpoD co-treatment with Aβ was sufficient to prevent Aβ-induced axon and cell loss. Using an acute injection paradigm, our data suggest that EpoD may mediate its protective effect by blocking localized, acute Aβ-induced tau phosphorylation. This study demonstrates white matter disruption resulting from localized Aβ, the importance of tau pathology induction to changes in white matter connectivity, and the use of EpoD as a potential therapeutic avenue to prevent the axon loss in AD.