Pharmacological modulation of Alzheimer's β-amyloid precursor protein levels in the CSF of rats with forebrain cholinergic system lesions

Abnormal deposition and accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid β-protein (Aβ) and degeneration of forebrain cholinergic neurons are among the principal features of Alzheimer's disease. Studies in rat model systems have shown that forebrain cholinergic deficits are accompanied by induction of cortical β-amyloid precursor protein ( β-APP) mRNAs and increased levels of secreted β-APP in the CSF. The studies reported here determined whether the CSF levels of secreted β-APP could be altered pharmacologically. In different experiments, rats with lesions of the forebrain cholinergic system received injections of vehicle, a muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine, or one of two cholinesterase inhibitors - diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP) or phenserine. Scopolamine was administered to determine whether the levels of β-APP in the CSF could be increased by anticholinergic agents. The cholinesterase inhibitors were administered to determine whether the forebrain cholinergic system lesion-induced increases in CSF β-APP could be reduced by cholinergic augmentation. Scopolamine administration led to a significant increase in the CSF levels of secreted β-APP in sham-lesioned rats. Phenserine, a novel, reversible acetyl-selective cholinesterase inhibitor, significantly decreased the levels of secreted β-APP in the CSF of forebrain cholinergic system-lesioned rats whereas DFP, a relatively non-specific cholinesterase inhibitor, failed to affect CSF levels of secreted β-APP. These results suggest that the levels of secreted β-APP in the CSF can be pharmacologically modulated but that this modulation is dependent upon the status of the forebrain cholinergic system and the pharmacological properties of the drugs used to influence it.