Chen Kai, Morizawa Yosuke M, Nuriel Tal, Al-Dalahmah Osama, Xie Zhongcong, Yang Guang
Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Neuron. 2025 May 19. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.04.027.
Dysfunction of the glymphatic system, a brain-wide waste clearance network, is strongly linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins. Here, we identify an astrocytic signaling pathway that can be targeted to preserve glymphatic function and mitigate neurotoxic protein buildup. Analysis of astrocytes from both human AD brains and two transgenic mouse models (5XFAD and PS19) reveals robust activation of the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK)-α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) branch of the unfolded protein response. Chronic PERK activation suppresses astrocytic protein synthesis and, through casein kinase 2 (CK2)-dependent mechanisms, disrupts the perivascular localization of aquaporin-4 (AQP4), a water channel essential for glymphatic flow. Importantly, astrocyte-specific PERK deletion or pharmacological inhibition restores AQP4 localization, enhances glymphatic clearance, reduces Aβ and tau pathology, and improves cognitive performance in mice. These findings highlight the critical role of the astrocytic PERK-CK2-AQP4 axis in glymphatic dysfunction and AD pathogenesis, positioning this pathway as a promising therapeutic target.
类淋巴系统是一个全脑范围的废物清除网络,其功能障碍与阿尔茨海默病(AD)以及β-淀粉样蛋白(Aβ)和tau蛋白的积累密切相关。在此,我们确定了一条星形胶质细胞信号通路,该通路可作为靶点来维持类淋巴系统功能并减轻神经毒性蛋白的积累。对人类AD大脑以及两种转基因小鼠模型(5XFAD和PS19)的星形胶质细胞进行分析,发现未折叠蛋白反应的真核起始因子2(eIF2α)分支中的蛋白激酶RNA样内质网(ER)激酶(PERK)-α亚基被强烈激活。PERK的慢性激活会抑制星形胶质细胞的蛋白质合成,并通过酪蛋白激酶2(CK2)依赖性机制破坏水通道蛋白4(AQP4)的血管周围定位,AQP4是类淋巴流动所必需的水通道。重要的是,星形胶质细胞特异性敲除PERK或进行药物抑制可恢复AQP4的定位,增强类淋巴清除能力,减少Aβ和tau病理变化,并改善小鼠的认知表现。这些发现突出了星形胶质细胞PERK-CK2-AQP4轴在类淋巴系统功能障碍和AD发病机制中的关键作用,将该通路定位为一个有前景的治疗靶点。