Basic Science and Pathogenesis

Cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are attributed to neuronal network disruptions associated with amyloid β and hyperphosphorylated tau aggregates. Pattern separation, the ability to store and differentiate between similar experiences, is linked to hippocampal function. Pattern separation shows increasing impairment with AD progression. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) 4 is a significant genetic risk factor for AD, associated with earlier onset, more severe pathology, and cognitive deficits. It is unclear how ApoE4 may interact with AD pathology to affect hippocampal function and pattern separation. This study uses humanized mouse models combining ApoE (3 or 4), App (App, App^NL _, App^NL-F), and MAPT (tau) to evaluate the interaction of these factors on pattern separation and amyloid pathology.

Pattern separation was assessed using the automated touchscreen location discrimination (LD) task at ages 6, 9, 12, and 16 months in both male and female mice. Hippocampal amyloid pathology was quantified at the same timepoints using biochemical and immunofluorescence.

Whereas AppApoE3 and ApoE4 mice presented no difference in LD performance at 6 months of age, App^NLApoE4 and App^NL-FApoE4 mice demonstrated poorer performance than their ApoE3 counterparts at all ages. When comparing App^NL and App^NL-F groups, App^NL-FApoE4 mice exhibited the poorest performance in comparison to the other groups at all ages. App mice showed no signs of amyloid pathology. App^NLApoE3 and App^NLApoE4 mice showed no significant difference in insoluble Aβ₄₂, and no plaques were detected. In contrast, App^NL-FApoE4 mice displayed increased Aβ₄₂ concentrations compared to App^NL-FApoE3, and also presented increased plaque pathology up to 16 months of age.

These results suggest even minor changes in amyloid processing (in App^NL mice) seem to synergize with ApoE4 as a driving mechanism of pattern separation deficits, detectable as early as 6 months old. This effect seems to be independent of insoluble amyloid accumulation, which was significantly increased in the hippocampus only after 9 months. Ongoing work examines whether soluble amyloid oligomers and ApoE4's direct impact on neurogenesis contribute to the pattern separation deficits. Nonetheless, we observed a reproducible deficit in LD performance in these mice compatible with early pattern separation deficits.