WSB.APP/PS1 mice develop age-dependent cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebrovascular deficits, and white matter damage, which are modified by humanized APOE alleles.

Onos, K. D.; Marola, O.; Uyar, A.; Chie, J. A. K. H. C.; Kanyinda, J.; Persohn, S. C.; Eldridge, K.; Elk, K.; Walker, A. E.; Carter, G. W.; Sasner, M. J.; Territo, P. R.; Howell, G.

doi:10.1101/2025.10.08.681261

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.10.08.681261

WSB.APP/PS1 mice develop age-dependent cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebrovascular deficits, and white matter damage, which are modified by humanized APOE alleles.

Onos, K. D.·Marola, O.·Uyar, A.·Chie, J. A. K. H. C.·Kanyinda, J.·Persohn, S. C.·Eldridge, K.·Elk, K.·Walker, A. E.·Carter, G. W.·Sasner, M. J.·Territo, P. R.·Howell, G.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTIONGrowing evidence suggests cerebrovascular deficits, including cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), play a key role in Alzheimers disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, these facets of AD are not well understood, due in part to the lack of mouse models that develop robust vascular deficits and CAA. Here, we characterize human-relevant cerebrovascular phenotypes in WSB.APP/PS1 mice with and without humanized APOE alleles. METHODSAD-relevant cerebrovascular phenotypes in WSB, WSB.APP/PS1, WSB.APOE2/2APP/PS1, WSB.APOE3/3APP/PS1, and/or WSB.APOE4/4APP/PS1 mice were characterized using immunohistochemistry, transcriptomics, positron emission tomography/computed tomography, and ex-vivo analyses. RESULTSWSB.APP/PS1 mice exhibited age-related plaque deposition and CAA, significant transcriptomic overlap with human AD, myelin deficits, cerebrovascular/metabolic uncoupling, and altered cerebrovascular morphology. Aged WSB vasculature retained vasoreactivity, but exhibited increased stiffness. Compared to APOE2, APOE4 expression in WSB.APP/PS1 mice increased CAA and plaque-associated microglial area. DISCUSSIONThese data illustrate the utility of the WSB genetic context to model CAA and uncover vascular contributions to AD. HighlightsO_LIWSB.APP/PS1 mice developed CAA with age. C_LIO_LITranscriptomic profiling revealed significant molecular overlap between human AD and WSB.APP/PS1 brains. C_LIO_LITranscriptomics and immunofluorescence suggested age-related myelin deficits in WSB.APP/PS1 brains. C_LIO_LIWSB.APP/PS1 brains exhibited neurovascular uncoupling, changes in vascular volume and surface area, and increased permeability changes. C_LIO_LIWSB.APP/PS1 cerebrovasculature was resilient to loss of responsivity with age but exhibited increased vascular stiffness. C_LIO_LIHumanized APOE {varepsilon}4 alleles significantly increased CAA and parenchymal plaque-associated microglial area in WSB.APP/PS1 mice. C_LI Research in ContextO_LISystematic review: The authors characterized WSB.APP/PS1 as a unique human-relevant model of Alzheimers Disease and explored several facets of cerebrovascular deficits. C_LIO_LIInterpretation: WSB and/or WSB.APP/PS1 mice exhibited human-relevant vascular phenotypes, including CAA, neurovascular uncoupling, increased vascular tree volume, vascular stiffness, and resilience to age-related loss of responsivity. Furthermore, the transcriptomic profile of WSB.APP/PS1 brains significantly overlaps with signatures observed in human AD. WSB.APP/PS1 brains exhibited myelin deficits with age. Furthermore, humanized APOE {varepsilon}2, {varepsilon}3, and {varepsilon}4 alleles significantly modified WSB.APP/PS1 susceptibility to CAA, plaque deposition, and plaque-associated microglial area. C_LIO_LIFuture Directions: The WSB genetic context will be leveraged to identify specific molecular mechanisms associated with cerebrovascular deficits in AD. C_LI

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Onos, K. D., Marola, O., Uyar, A., Chie, J. A. K. H. C., Kanyinda, J., Persohn, S. C., Eldridge, K., Elk, K., Walker, A. E., Carter, G. W., Sasner, M. J., Territo, P. R., Howell, G.. 2025-10-09. WSB.APP/PS1 mice develop age-dependent cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebrovascular deficits, and white matter damage, which are modified by humanized APOE alleles.. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.08.681261

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