The cholesterol depleting agent, (2-Hydroxypropyl)-ß-cyclodextrin, does not affect disease progression in SOD1^G93A mice

Abstract

Objective

Previously, we demonstrated that Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) contributes to pathology in the SOD1^G93A mouse model of ALS and that genetic ablation of APP in SOD1^G93A mice significantly improved multiple disease parameters, including muscle innervation and motor neuron survival. We also observed elevated levels of potentially neurotoxic Aß peptides that have been implicated in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathogenesis, within motor neurons and astrocytes in SOD1^G93A mice. More recently, it has been shown that blocking Aß production improves outcome measures in SOD1^G93A mice. The cyclodextrin, (2-Hydroxypropyl)-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), has previously been shown to deplete intraneuronal unesterified cholesterol, resulting in effective reduction of Aß production and amelioration of disease progression in mouse models of AD and Niemann Pick Type C (NPC) disease. Here, we tested whether HP-β-CD could also improve phenotypic progression in SOD1^G93A mice.

Methods

Pre-symptomatic male SOD1^G93A mice were randomly assigned to the following treatment groups: HP-β-CD (4000mg/kg, n = 9) or vehicle (saline; n = 10), delivered by weekly subcutaneous injection, commencing at 67 days of age. Longitudinal grip-strength and body mass analysis was performed until late-stage disease (120 days of age), followed by in vivo bilateral isometric muscle tension analysis of tibialis anterior (TA) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles. Results: HP-β-CD administration had no effect on body mass or grip-strength compared to vehicle treated SOD1^G93A mice. Similarly, HP-β-CD treatment had no effect on muscle force, contractile properties or motor unit number estimates (MUNE) at late-stage disease in SOD1^G93A mice.

Conclusion

This study shows that HP-β-CD does not confer any therapeutic benefit in SOD1^G93A mice. However, the absence of detrimental effects is informative, given the common use of cyclodextrins as complexing agents for other pharmaceutical products, their standalone therapeutic potential and the emerging association between dyslipidaemia and ALS progression.

Keywords:

• Motor neuron disease (MND)
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• amyloid precursor protein (APP)
• dyslipidaemia
• cholesterol sequestration
• cyclodextrin

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mr James Dick, for maintenance of the SOD1^G93A mouse colony and for preparation of the vehicle and HP-β-CD immediately prior to blinded administration.

Author contributions

All experimental procedures, data collection, analysis and manuscript preparation were performed by JBB. JBB and LG were responsible for conception and design of the study and finalized the manuscript.

Declaration of interests

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

JBB was supported by a Motor Neurone Disease Association Lady Edith Wolfson Senior Non-clinical Fellowship [Bryson 965-799], as well as an NIHR BRC UCL Excellence Fellowship award [BRC371/ED/AT/101310], in addition to grant support from the Rosetrees Trust [ref: M643] and an Early Career Researcher Award from the Richard Stravitz Foundation. LG is supported by Brain Research UK and holds The Graham Watts Senior Research Fellowship.