High-dose of vitamin C supplementation reduces amyloid plaque burden and ameliorates pathological changes in the brain of 5XFAD mice

Cell Death Dis. 2014 Feb 27;5(2):e1083. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2014.26.

Abstract

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and mitochondrial dysfunction have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive deficits and neuronal loss. Besides vitamin C being as one of the important antioxidants, recently, it has also been reported as a modulator of BBB integrity and mitochondria morphology. Plasma levels of vitamin C are decreased in AD patients, which can affect disease progression. However, investigation using animal models on the role of vitamin C in the AD pathogenesis has been hampered because rodents produce with no dependence on external supply. Therefore, to identify the pathogenic importance of vitamin C in an AD mouse model, we cross-bred 5 familial Alzheimer's disease mutation (5XFAD) mice (AD mouse model) with ι-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase (Gulo) knockout (KO) mice, which are unable to synthesize their own vitamin C, and produced Gulo KO mice with 5XFAD mice background (KO-Tg). These mice were maintained on either low (0.66 g/l) or high (3.3 g/l) supplementation of vitamin C. We found that the higher supplementation of vitamin C had reduced amyloid plaque burden in the cortex and hippocampus in KO-Tg mice, resulting in amelioration of BBB disruption and mitochondrial alteration. These results suggest that intake of a larger amount of vitamin C could be protective against AD-like pathologies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / enzymology
  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Alzheimer Disease / prevention & control*
  • Animals
  • Ascorbic Acid / administration & dosage*
  • Ascorbic Acid / metabolism
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / pathology
  • Capillaries / drug effects
  • Capillaries / metabolism
  • Capillaries / pathology
  • Cerebral Cortex / blood supply
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects*
  • Cerebral Cortex / enzymology
  • Cerebral Cortex / pathology
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gliosis
  • Hippocampus / drug effects*
  • Hippocampus / enzymology
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • L-Gulonolactone Oxidase / deficiency
  • L-Gulonolactone Oxidase / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • Plaque, Amyloid*
  • Tight Junctions / drug effects
  • Tight Junctions / metabolism
  • Tight Junctions / pathology

Substances

  • L-Gulonolactone Oxidase
  • Ascorbic Acid