Blueberry supplementation enhances signaling and prevents behavioral deficits in an Alzheimer disease model.
Previously, we showed that blueberry (BB) supplementation reversed the deleterious effects of aging on motor behavior and neuronal signaling in senescent rodents. We now report that BB-fed (from 4 months of age) APP + PS1 transgenic mice showed no deficits in Y-maze performance (at 12 months of age) with no alterations in amyloid beta burden. It appeared that the protective mechanisms are derived from BB-induced enhancement of memory-associated neuronal signaling (e.g. extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and alterations in neutral sphingomyelin-specific phospholipase C activity. Thus, our data indicate for the first time that it may be possible to overcome genetic predispositions to Alzheimer disease through diet.
Joseph
J A
JA
USDA-HNRCA at Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA. james.joseph@tufts.edu
Denisova
N A
NA
Arendash
G
G
Gordon
M
M
Diamond
D
D
Shukitt-Hale
B
B
Morgan
D
D
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D029798:Blueberry Plants; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005638:Fruit; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008568:Memory; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053764:Presenilin-1; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000378:metabolism; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053764:Presenilin-1; D013109:Sphingomyelins; C496630:Prkca protein, mouse; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases