Reduction of brain stem pathology and transient amelioration of early cognitive symptoms in transgenic mice treated with a monoclonal antibody against α-synuclein oligomers/protofibrils
S. Ekmark-Lewén,
A. Aniszewska,
A. Molisak,
A. Gumucio,
V. Lindström,
P.J. Kahle,
E. Nordström,
C. Möller,
J. Fälting,
L. Lannfelt,
J. Bergström,
M. Ingelsson
Affiliations
S. Ekmark-Lewén
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
A. Aniszewska
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
A. Molisak
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
A. Gumucio
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
V. Lindström
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
P.J. Kahle
Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tübingen, Germany
E. Nordström
BioArctic AB, Stockholm, Sweden
C. Möller
BioArctic AB, Stockholm, Sweden
J. Fälting
BioArctic AB, Stockholm, Sweden
L. Lannfelt
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; BioArctic AB, Stockholm, Sweden
J. Bergström
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
M. Ingelsson
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Departments of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Corresponding author.
Immunotherapy against alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a promising novel treatment strategy for Parkinson's disease (PD) and related α-synucleinopathies. We have previously shown that systemic treatment with the monoclonal oligomer/protofibril-selective antibody mAb47 targeting cytotoxic α-syn leads to reduced central nervous system levels of such species as well as an indication of reduced late-stage symptoms in aged (Thy-1)-h[A30P] α-syn transgenic mice.Here, we performed an early-onset long-term treatment study with this antibody to evaluate effects on brain pathology and behavioral outcomes in the same mouse model. Compared to the placebo group, the treatment strongly reduced phosphorylated α-syn (pS129 α-syn) pathology in the upper brain stem. Moreover, a preserved recognition memory and risk assessment behavior could be seen in antibody-treated mice at six months of age, even although these effects were no longer significant at eleven months of age. Importantly, no evidence of inflammatory responses or other potential toxic effects was seen with the treatment. Taken together, this study supports the strategy to target α-syn oligomers/protofibrils with monoclonal antibodies to counteract early symptoms and slow down the progression of PD and other α-synucleinopathies.
