Long-term exposition to a high fat diet favors the appearance of β-amyloid depositions in the brain of C57BL/6J mice. A potential model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease

Aims: The sporadic and late-onset form of Alzheimer's disease (AD) constitutes the most common form of dementia. This non-familiar form could be a consequence of metabolic syndrome, characterized by obesity and the development of a brain-specific insulin resistance known as type III diabetes. This work demonstrates the development of a significant AD-like neuropathology due to these metabolic alterations. Methods: C57BL/6J mice strain were divided into two groups, one fed with a diet rich in palmitic acid (high-fat diet, HFD) since their weaning until 16 months of age, and another group used as a control with a regular diet. The analyses were carried out in the dentate gyrus area of the hippocampus using a Thioflavin-S stain and immunofluorescence assays. Results: The most significant finding of the present research was that HFD induced the deposition of the beta A peptide. Moreover, the diet also caused alterations in different cell processes, such as increased inflammatory reactions that lead to a decrease in the neuronal precursor cells. In addition, the results show that there were also dysregulations in normal autophagy and apoptosis, mechanisms related to SA formation. Conclusions: The present findings confirm that HFD favors the formation of SA depositions in the brain, a key feature of AD, supporting the metabolic hypothesis of sporadic AD. (C) 2016 Elsevier-Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved: