Neprilysin overexpression inhibits plaque formation but fails to reduce pathogenic Aβ oligomers and associated cognitive deficits in human amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice

The accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may arise from an imbalance between Aβ production and clearance. Overexpression of the Aβ-degrading enzyme neprilysin in brains of human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) transgenic mice decreases overall Aβ levels and amyloid plaque burdens. Because AD-related synaptic and cognitive deficits appear to be more closely related to Aβ oligomers than to plaques, it is important to determine whether increased neprilysin activity also diminishes the levels of pathogenic Aβ oligomers and related neuronal deficits in vivo. To address this question, we crossed hAPP transgenic mice with neprilysin transgenic mice and analyzed their offspring. Neprilysin overexpression reduced soluble Aβ levels by 50% and effectively prevented early Aβ deposition in the neocortex and hippocampus. However, it did not reduce levels of Aβ trimers and Aβ*56 or improve deficits in spatial learning and memory. The differential effect of neprilysin on plaques and oligomers suggests that neprilysin-dependent degradation of Aβ affects plaques more than oligomers and that these structures may form through distinct assembly mechanisms. Neprilysin's inability to prevent learning and memory deficits in hAPP mice may be related to its inability to reduce pathogenic Aβ oligomers. Reduction of Aβ oligomers will likely be required for anti-Aβ treatments to improve cognitive functions.