Role of Lipocalin-2 in Amyloid-Beta Oligomer-Induced Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Heeyoung Kang, Hyun Joo Shin, Hyeong Seok An, Zhen Jin, Jong Youl Lee, Jaewoong Lee, Kyung Eun Kim, Ju‐Hong Jeon, Kyu Yeong Choi, Catriona McLean, Kun Ho Lee, So Yoon Kim, Hae Ryong Lee, Gu Seob Roh
Abstract
Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is an inflammatory protein with diverse functions in the brain. Although many studies have investigated the mechanism of LCN2 in brain injuries, the effect of LCN2 on amyloid-toxicity-related memory deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been less studied. We investigated the role of LCN2 in human AD patients using a mouse model of AD. We created an AD mouse model by injecting amyloid-beta oligomer (AβO) into the hippocampus. In this model, animals exhibited impaired learning and memory. We found LCN2 upregulation in the human brain frontal lobe, as well as a positive correlation between white matter ischemic changes and serum LCN2. We also found increased astrocytic LCN2, microglia activation, iron accumulation, and blood-brain barrier disruption in AβO-treated hippocampi. These findings suggest that LCN2 is involved in a variety of amyloid toxicity mechanisms, especially neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.