title: Neprilysin is poorly expressed in the prefrontal cortex of aged dogs with cognitive dysfunction syndrome.
abstract: Neprilysin (NEP) is the principal amyloid β (A β ) degrading peptidase; this activity may protect against Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most important age-related neurodegenerative process. The aim of this work was to analyze NEP mRNA expression in the frontal cortex of dogs with and without canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), which is considered a natural model for AD. Expression of canine cerebral NEP mRNA was assessed by RT-PCR followed by qPCR in young, aged-cognitively unimpaired (CU), and aged-cognitively impaired (CI) dogs. On average, aged-CI dogs showed 80% (P < 0.01) lower expression levels of NEP mRNA than their aged-CU counterparts. Furthermore, the standard deviation of the qPCR measurements was more than 6 times higher in the cognitively healthy animals (young and aged-CU) than in the aged-CI group. Another interesting find is the determination of a positive correlation between NEP expression and the number of cholinergic neurons in basal telencephalon, indicating a probable connection between both events in these types of neurodegeneration processes. These results suggest that high expression levels of NEP might be a protective factor for canine CDS and, most likely, for other A β -associated neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD.
authors: Araclon Biotech Ltd., Vía Hispanidad 21, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Canudas
authors: Araclon Biotech Ltd., Vía Hispanidad 21, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Insua
authors: Araclon Biotech Ltd., Vía Hispanidad 21, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Leticia
authors: L
authors: Sarasa
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Veterinaria de Lugo, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: González-Martínez
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Veterinaria de Lugo, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain.
authors: María Luisa
authors: ML
authors: Suárez
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Veterinaria de Lugo, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain.
authors: Germán
authors: G
authors: Santamarina
authors: Araclon Biotech Ltd., Vía Hispanidad 21, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Pesini
authors: Araclon Biotech Ltd., Vía Hispanidad 21, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Sarasa