Ye Fan, Li Mingfeng, Liu Min, Wu Xinghan, Tian Fan, Gong Yanju, Cao Yan, Zhang Jingtai, Zhang Xueling, Qin Chuan, Zhang Ling
NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Experimental Animal Models of Human Critical Diseases, International Center for Technology and lnnovation of Animal Model, Comparative Medicine Center, Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100730, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Jun 8;26(12):5502. doi: 10.3390/ijms26125502.
Abnormal deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) is a core pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Syndecan-3 (SDC3), a type I transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), is abnormally overexpressed in the brains of AD patients and model animals, specifically accumulating in the peri-plaque region of amyloid plaques. However, its regulatory mechanism in the process of Aβ deposition remains unclear. This study aims to clearly define the role of SDC3 in Aβ aggregation and neuroinflammation, two critical processes in AD pathogenesis. Specifically, we investigate how SDC3 modulates Aβ aggregation and its interaction with neuroinflammatory pathways, which may contribute to the progression of AD. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying SDC3's involvement in these processes, we seek to provide new insights into potential therapeutic targets for AD. In this study, a 5×FAD mouse model with downregulated SDC3 expression was constructed. Behavioral assessments and synaptic function tests were performed to explore the effects of SDC3 on cognition in 5×FAD mice. Immunofluorescence co-localization technology was utilized to analyze the pathological co-deposition of SDC3 and Aβ in the hippocampus, cortex, and meningeal blood vessels. Quantitative assessments of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as and in the brain were performed through histopathological analysis combined with qPCR. Western blotting was used to examine the phosphorylation status of STAT1/STAT3 and the expression changes of IBA1/GFAP to systematically analyze the molecular mechanisms through which SDC3 regulates AD pathology. This study revealed that SDC3 expression was significantly upregulated in the brain regions of the 5×FAD model mice and co-localized pathologically with Aβ. Cell lineage tracing analysis showed that the elevated SDC3 expression primarily originated from glial cells. Behavioral and pathological results demonstrated that downregulation of SDC3 significantly improved cognitive dysfunction in the model mice and effectively reduced the Aβ burden in the brain. Molecular mechanism studies showed that downregulation of SDC3 reduced the phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3, thereby inhibiting the activation of the JAK-STAT and cGAS-STING signaling pathways, reducing the activation of microglia/astrocytes and suppressing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as and . This study reveals that SDC3 co-localizes with Aβ pathology and synergistically exacerbates neuroinflammation. Knockdown of SDC3 can simultaneously reduce both Aβ deposition and the release of inflammatory factors from glial cells. Mechanistic research indicates that SDC3 drives a "glial activation-cytokine release" vicious cycle through the JAK-STAT and cGAS-STING signaling pathways. These findings suggest that SDC3 may serve as a key hub coordinating amyloid pathology and neuroinflammation in AD, providing new insights for the development of combination therapies targeting the HSPG network.
β-淀粉样蛋白(Aβ)的异常沉积是阿尔茨海默病(AD)的核心病理特征。Syndecan-3(SDC3)是一种I型跨膜硫酸乙酰肝素蛋白聚糖(HSPG),在AD患者和模型动物的大脑中异常过度表达,尤其在淀粉样斑块的斑块周围区域积聚。然而,其在Aβ沉积过程中的调节机制仍不清楚。本研究旨在明确SDC3在Aβ聚集和神经炎症这两个AD发病机制中的关键过程中的作用。具体而言,我们研究SDC3如何调节Aβ聚集及其与神经炎症途径的相互作用,这可能有助于AD的进展。通过阐明SDC3参与这些过程的潜在机制,我们试图为AD的潜在治疗靶点提供新的见解。在本研究中,构建了SDC3表达下调的5×FAD小鼠模型。进行行为评估和突触功能测试以探讨SDC3对5×FAD小鼠认知的影响。利用免疫荧光共定位技术分析SDC3和Aβ在海马体、皮质和脑膜血管中的病理共沉积情况。通过组织病理学分析结合qPCR对大脑中促炎细胞因子如 和 进行定量评估。使用蛋白质免疫印迹法检测STAT1/STAT3的磷酸化状态以及IBA1/GFAP的表达变化,以系统分析SDC3调节AD病理的分子机制。本研究表明,5×FAD模型小鼠脑区中SDC3表达显著上调,并与Aβ发生病理共定位。细胞谱系追踪分析表明,SDC3表达升高主要源于神经胶质细胞。行为和病理结果表明,下调SDC3可显著改善模型小鼠的认知功能障碍,并有效降低脑中的Aβ负担。分子机制研究表明,下调SDC3可降低STAT1和STAT3的磷酸化水平,从而抑制JAK-STAT和cGAS-STING信号通路的激活,减少小胶质细胞/星形胶质细胞的激活,并抑制促炎细胞因子如 和 的表达。本研究揭示SDC3与Aβ病理共定位并协同加剧神经炎症。敲低SDC3可同时减少Aβ沉积和神经胶质细胞炎症因子的释放。机制研究表明,SDC3通过JAK-STAT和cGAS-STING信号通路驱动“神经胶质细胞激活-细胞因子释放”恶性循环。这些发现表明,SDC3可能是协调AD中淀粉样病理和神经炎症的关键枢纽,为开发针对HSPG网络的联合疗法提供了新的见解。
Metab Brain Dis. 2025-5-17
Fluids Barriers CNS. 2025-6-20
J Neuroinflammation. 2025-6-19
Acta Neuropathol. 2024-11-25
Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2024-2-5
J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025-1
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024-7-1
Acta Pharm Sin B. 2024-8
Protein Cell. 2025-2-1
Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2023-6-30
Int J Mol Sci. 2022-12-30
Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2022-7-26
Front Aging Neurosci. 2022-3-30
Int J Mol Sci. 2022-3-21