Research Models

Selected Results

6 Models

Name Other Names Strain Name Genetic Background Gene Mutation Modification Info Modification Disease Neuropathology Behavior/Cognition Other Phenotype Availability Primary Paper Visualization
Mouse Models (6)
3xTg-AD, The LaFerla mouse B6;129-Psen1tm1Mpm Tg(APPSwe,tauP301L)1Lfa/Mmjax C7BL/6;129X1/SvJ;129S1/Sv Psen1, APP, MAPT APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), MAPT P301L, PSEN1 M146V Single-cell embryos from mice with knock-in of PSEN1 with the PS1M146V mutation were injected with two human transgenes (APP with the Swedish mutation and MAPT with the P30IL mutation). Transgenes integrated at a single locus under the control of the mouse Thy1.2 promoter. Psen1: Knock-In; APP: Transgenic; MAPT: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Age-related, progressive neuropathology including plaques and tangles. Extracellular Aβ deposits by 6 months in frontal cortex, more extensive by 12 months. No tau pathology at 6 months, but evident at 12 months. Synaptic dysfunction, including LTP deficits, prior to plaques and tangles. Cognitive impairment by 4 months. Impairments first manifest as a retention/retrieval deficit and not as a learning deficit, and occur prior to plaques and tangles. Deficits in both spatial and contextual based paradigms. Clearance of intraneuronal Aβ by immunotherapy rescues the early cognitive deficits in a hippocampal-dependent task. The Jackson Lab; available through the JAX MMRRC Stock# 034830; Live Oddo et al., 2003 Yes
B6;CB-Tg(Thy1-PSEN1*M146V/Thy1-APP*swe)10Arte Co-injection of transgenes into B6CBF1 oocytes, back-crossed to C57BL/6 APP, PSEN1 APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), PSEN1 M146V Co-integration of two transgenes, mutant APP carrying the K670N/M671L mutation, and mutant PSEN1 carrying the M146V mutation, both under the control of the Thy-1 promoter. APP: Transgenic; PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Robust early plaque development (by 3 months in homozygotes, 5 months in hemizygotes), predominantly congophilic dense-core amyloid plaques surrounded by dystrophic neurites and gliosis. Some diffuse plaques and cerebral amyloidosis. No tau tangles. Neurons have reduced dendritic length, surface area, and branches. Age-related learning and memory deficits, especially episodic memory, in select paradigm-specific tasks by 12 months. Good breeding capabilities and no premature death. Taconic: Stock #16347 Willuweit et al., 2009 Yes
PSEN1(M146V) (line 8.9) Swiss Webster x B6D2F1 PSEN1 PSEN1 M146V Transgene containing human PSEN1 with the M146V mutation driven by the rat PDGF-β promoter. PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease No abnormal neuropathology up to 2.5 years. Elevated Aβ42(43). Altered mitochondrial activity and disregulation of calcium homeostasis. Unknown. Medium and late after hyperpolarizations in CA3 pyramidal cells were larger compared with nontransgenic or mice transgenic for wild-type PSEN1. Available through the Technology Transfer Office, Patents & Licensing, University of South Florida Duff et al., 1996 No
PS1M146V KI, PS1M146VKI, The Miles W. Miller Mouse B6.129-Psen1tm1Mpm/J C57BL/6 PSEN1 PSEN1 M146V Point mutations were introduced into exon 5 of the endogenous mouse PSEN1 gene altering the codons corresponding to amino acids 145 and 146 from isoleucine and methionine to valine and valine, respectively. The targeting vector contained a lox-P flanked neomycin resistance cassette and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase genes. PSEN1: Knock-In Alzheimer's Disease Hypersensitive to kainate-induced degeneration and death of CA3, CA1 and hilar neurons. Cultured hippocampal neurons have increased vulnerability to death induced by glutamate. Disrupted calcium homeostasis. Increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Unknown. Mice are viable, fertile, and normal in size. No gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. The Jackson Lab: Stock# 004193; Cryopreserved Guo et al., 1999 No
TAS10 x TPM, APPswe x PS1.M1466V, TAS/TPM TAS10 transgene originally injected into C57BL/6 x C3H oocytes, with some backcrossing to C57BL/6. TPM generated on pure C57BL/6 background. APP, PSEN1 APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), PSEN1 M146V This is a double transgenic model generated by crossing TAS10 mice (an APP transgenic line expressing human APP695 with the Swedish mutation) with TPM mice (a PSEN1 transgenic expressing human PSEN1 with the M146V mutation). Both transgenes are driven by the murine Thy-1 promoter. APP: Transgenic; PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Aβ deposits beginning at 3 months of age, with fibrillar plaques by 6 months in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Some vascular amyloid. Plaques surrounded by dystrophic neurites and reactive glia. No tangles or neuronal loss. Female mice have more rapid and severe amyloid pathology. Age-dependent impairment in object recognition memory starting around 6 months of age.  Unknown Howlett et al., 2004 Yes
Thy-1 PS1.M146V Transgene injected into fertilized oocytes from pure C57BL/6 mice. PSEN1 PSEN1 M146V Transgene encoding human PSEN1 carrying the M146V mutation. Transgene is driven by the murine Thy-1 promoter. PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease No plaques. Unknown. Unknown Howlett et al., 2004 No

3 Visualizations

AD-related Research Models

Phenotypes Examined

  • Plaques
  • Tangles
  • Neuronal Loss
  • Gliosis
  • Synaptic Loss
  • Changes in LTP/LTD
  • Cognitive Impairment

When visualized, these phenotypes will distributed over a 18 month timeline demarcated at the following intervals: 3mo, 6mo, 9mo, 1yr, 15mo, 18mo+.

3xTg

Observed
  1. X
    Plaques at 26

    Extracellular Aβ deposits by 6 months in the frontal cortex, predominantly layers 4 and 5 and progress with age (Oddo et al., 2003).

  2. X
    Tangles at 52

    By 12 months extensive tau immunoreactivity in CA1 neurons of the hippocampus, particularly pyramidal neurons, later in the cortex. No tau pathology at 6 months (Oddo et al., 2003).

  3. X
    Gliosis at 30

    Increased density of GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes and IBA-1 immunoreactive microglia compared with wild-type mice at 7 months (Caruso et al., 2013). Development of gliosis may occur earlier.

  4. X
    Changes in LTP/LTD at 26

    By 6 months decreased LTP compared with wild type controls. Impairment in basal synaptic transmission. No change at 1 month of age (Oddo et al., 2003).

  5. X
    Cognitive Impairment at 17

    Cognitive impairment manifests at 4 months as a deficit in long-term retention and correlates with the accumulation of intraneuronal Aβ in the hippocampus and amygdala, but plaques and tangles are not yet apparent (Billings et al., 2005).

Absent
No Data
  • Neuronal Loss at

    Unknown.

Genes Mutations Modification Disease Neuropathology Behavior/Cognition
Psen1, APP, MAPT APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), MAPT P301L, PSEN1 M146V Psen1: Knock-In; APP: Transgenic; MAPT: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease

Age-related, progressive neuropathology including plaques and tangles. Extracellular Aβ deposits by 6 months in frontal cortex, more extensive by 12 months. No tau pathology at 6 months, but evident at 12 months. Synaptic dysfunction, including LTP deficits, prior to plaques and tangles.

Cognitive impairment by 4 months. Impairments first manifest as a retention/retrieval deficit and not as a learning deficit, and occur prior to plaques and tangles. Deficits in both spatial and contextual based paradigms. Clearance of intraneuronal Aβ by immunotherapy rescues the early cognitive deficits in a hippocampal-dependent task.

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ARTE10

Observed
  1. X
    Plaques at 13

    Robust and reliable plaque pathology as early as 3 months in homozygotes, 5 months in hemizygotes. Plaques start in the anterior neocortex and subiculum, spreading to other brain regions (e.g. hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala). Congophilic dense-core plaques are abundant, with lower levels of diffuse plaques and some cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

  2. X
    Gliosis at 22

    Glial activation, including reactive astrocytes and activated microglia, is present in areas around plaques by 5 months of age in homozygous animals, later in hemizygotes.

  3. X
    Synaptic Loss at 13

    Decreased expression of synaptophysin mRNA in the brain by 3-4 months of age in both hemizygous and homozygous animals.

  4. X
    Cognitive Impairment at 52

    Select, paradigm-dependent, deficits in learning and memory, especially episodic memory, by 12 months in homozygous and hemizygous mice.

Absent
  • Tangles at

    No tangles or neuropil threads, but some hyperphosphorylated tau by eight months in dystrophic neurites.

  • Neuronal Loss at

    Outright neuronal loss has not been documented, but substantial degeneration of dendritic arbors occurs by 10-14 months of age in hippocampal neurons.

No Data
  • Changes in LTP/LTD at

    Unknown; however, hippocampal neurons exhibit substantial changes in electrophysiological properties by 10-14 months of age, including hyperexcitability in the form of increased firing of action potentials and a more efficient transition from solitary firing to bursting.

Genes Mutations Modification Disease Neuropathology Behavior/Cognition
APP, PSEN1 APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), PSEN1 M146V APP: Transgenic; PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease

Robust early plaque development (by 3 months in homozygotes, 5 months in hemizygotes), predominantly congophilic dense-core amyloid plaques surrounded by dystrophic neurites and gliosis. Some diffuse plaques and cerebral amyloidosis. No tau tangles. Neurons have reduced dendritic length, surface area, and branches.

Age-related learning and memory deficits, especially episodic memory, in select paradigm-specific tasks by 12 months.

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TASTPM (TAS10 x TPM)

Observed
  1. X
    Plaques at 26

    Aβ begins to deposit at 3 months of age, with fibrillar plaques evident by 6 months in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Some vascular amyloid is also observed. Plaque pathology is more severe in female mice.

  2. X
    Gliosis at 28

    Greater numbers of reactive astrocytes and microglia by 6 months of age in the hippocampus and cortex, predominantly near amyloid plaques.

  3. X
    Cognitive Impairment at 26

    Age-dependent impairment in object recognition memory starting around 6 months of age for both sexes. No impairment at 3 to 4 months of age.

Absent
  • Tangles at

    Absent.

  • Neuronal Loss at

    Minimal neuronal loss up to 10 months of age. Some signs of loss in the immediate vicinity of plaques in the hippocampus (Howlett et al., 2008).

No Data
  • Synaptic Loss at

    Unknown.

  • Changes in LTP/LTD at

    Unknown.

Genes Mutations Modification Disease Neuropathology Behavior/Cognition
APP, PSEN1 APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), PSEN1 M146V APP: Transgenic; PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease

Aβ deposits beginning at 3 months of age, with fibrillar plaques by 6 months in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Some vascular amyloid. Plaques surrounded by dystrophic neurites and reactive glia. No tangles or neuronal loss. Female mice have more rapid and severe amyloid pathology.

Age-dependent impairment in object recognition memory starting around 6 months of age. 

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