JBPOS0101 regulates amyloid beta, tau, and glial cells in an Alzheimer’s disease model

• Published in: PloS one 2020-08, Vol.15 (8), p.e0237153-e0237153
• Main Authors: Jeong, Jihoon, Park, Hyung Joon, Mun, Bo-Ram, Jang, Ju Kyong, Choi, Yong Moon, Choi, Won-Seok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimers disease; Amyloid beta-protein; Anti-Alzheimer's disease agents; Astrocytes; Attenuation; Authorship; Biology and Life Sciences; Carbamates; Cognitive ability; Cures; Development and progression; Epilepsy; Etiology; Glia; Glial cells; Health aspects; Learning; Medical schools; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Memory; Microglia; Model testing; Mutation; Neurodegenerative diseases; Phosphorylation; Research and Analysis Methods; Signs and symptoms; Tau protein; Tau proteins; Testing
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237153

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive dysfunction and memory loss as the main symptoms. The deposition of amyloid beta (A[beta]) and tau hyperphosphorylation are hallmarks of AD and are major therapeutic targets. However, the exact etiology has not yet been fully elucidated; thus, no drug that cures the disease has been approved. JBPOS0101 is a phenyl carbamate compound that has been tested as a drug for epileptic diseases. In our previous study, we showed that JBPOS0101 attenuated the accumulation of A[beta] as well as the deficits in learning and memory in the 5xFAD mouse model. Here, we tested the dose effect (70 or 35 mg/kg) of JBPOS0101 on the memory defect and pathological markers and further investigated the underlying mechanisms in 5xFAD mice. In the behavior tests, JBPOS0101 treatment ameliorated deficits in learning and memory. Moreover, JBPOS0101 attenuated A[beta] accumulation and tau phosphorylation. The elevated phosphorylation levels of the active GSK3[beta] form (GSK3[beta]-y216) in 5xFAD, which are responsible for tau phosphorylation, decreased in the JBPOS0101-treated groups. Furthermore, the elevation of reactive astrocytes and microglia in 5xFAD mice was attenuated in JBPOS0101-treated groups. These data suggest that JBPOS0101 may be a new drug candidate to lessen amyloid- and tau-related pathology by regulating glial cells.