Restoring Blood-Brain Barrier P-Glycoprotein Reduces Brain Amyloid-β in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Reduced clearance of amyloid-beta (A beta) from brain partly underlies increased A beta brain accumulation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The mechanistic basis for this pathology is unknown, but recent evidence suggests a neurovascular component in AD etiology. We show here that the ATP-driven pump, P-glycoprotein, specifically mediates efflux transport of A beta from mouse brain capillaries into the vascular space, thus identifying a critical component of the A beta brain efflux mechanism. We demonstrate in a transgenic mouse model of AD [human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP)-overexpressing mice; Tg2576 strain] that brain capillary P-glycoprotein expression and transport activity are substantially reduced compared with wild-type con-trol mice, suggesting a mechanism by which A beta accumulates in the brain in AD. It is noteworthy that dosing 12-week-old, asymptomatic hAPP mice over 7 days with pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile to activate the nuclear receptor pregnane X receptor restores P-glycoprotein expression and transport activity in brain capillaries and significantly reduces brain A beta levels compared with untreated control mice. Thus, targeting intracellular signals that up-regulate blood-brain barrier P-glycoprotein in the early stages of AD has the potential to increase A beta clearance from the brain and reduce A beta brain accumulation. This mechanism suggests a new therapeutic strategy in AD.