Progranulin improves memory in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease: Molecular and cell biology/neurodegeneration and neuroprotection

摘要: Background Progranulin is a lysosomal and secreted protein that has neurotrophic properties and promotes neurite outgrowth in vitro. Mutations in the progranulin gene have been found to cause frontotemporal dementia. Additionally, reduced progranulin levels may be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Studies in mouse models of AD support this notion: reducing progranulin exacerbates disease progression whereas increasing progranulin confers protection. However, the physiologic function of progranulin in the CNS is not known. Method We tested the effects of CNS‐administered progranulin in the cognition in young male CD‐1 mice, (3‐months of age), old C57/BL male mice (24 months of age) and 3xTG‐AD male and female mice (13 months of age). Immediately following T maze foot shock avoidance training, CD‐1 mice (n = 10 per group) were injected intracerebroventricularly …