Ceramide analog [18F]F-HPA-12 detects sphingolipid disbalance in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice by functioning as a metabolic probe

Simone M. Crivelli, Daan van Kruining, Qian Luo, Jo A. A. Stevens, Caterina Giovagnoni, Andreas Paulus, Matthias Bauwens, Dusan Berkes, Helga E. de Vries, Monique T. Mulder, Jochen Walter, Etienne Waelkens, Rita Derua, Johannes Swinnen, Jonas Dehairs, Felix M. Mottaghy, Mario Losen, Erhard Bieberich, Pilar Martinez-Martinez*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The metabolism of ceramides is deregulated in the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and is associated with apolipoprotein (APO) APOE4 and amyloid-beta pathology. However, how the ceramide metabolism changes over time in AD, in vivo, remains unknown. Distribution and metabolism of [F-18]F-HPA-12, a radio-fluorinated version of the ceramide analog N-(3-hydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl-3-phenylpropyl) dodecanamide, was investigated in the brain of AD transgenic mouse models (FAD) on an APOE4 or APOE3 genetic background, by positron emission tomography and by gamma counter. We found that FAD mice displayed a higher uptake of [F-18]F-HPA-12 in the brain, independently from the APOE4 or APOE3 genetic background. FAD mice could be distinguished from littermate control animals with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 87.5%, by gamma counter measurements. Metabolic analysis of [F-18]F-HPA-12 in the brain suggested that the tracer is degraded less efficiently in the FAD mice. Furthermore, the radioactive signal registered in the hippocampus correlated with an increase of Cer d18:1/20:2 levels measured in the same brain region by mass spectrometry. Our data gives additional proof that ceramide metabolism is different in FAD mice compared to controls. Ceramide analogs like HPA-12 may function as metabolic probes to study ceramide disbalance in the brain.

Original languageEnglish
Article number19354
Number of pages14
JournalScientific Reports
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Nov 2020

Keywords

  • MOUSE MODEL
  • TRAFFICKING
  • ACCUMULATION
  • TRANSPORTER
  • INHIBITOR
  • APOPTOSIS
  • BARRIER
  • PROTEIN
  • DEATH
  • RISK

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