Work

A role for INPP5D in aerobic exercise-mediated attenuation of microglial activation and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: PURPOSE: Neuroinflammation is closely linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the associated deficits in learning and memory. Microglial activation serves as a central mediator of this inflammatory response. While previous studies have shown that aerobic exercise exerts protective effects by suppressing microglial activation and attenuating neuroinflammation, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. Notably, INPP5D, an immunoregulatory factor predominantly expressed in microglia, is closely associated with aberrant microglial activation and cognitive decline in AD. Elucidating the role of INPP5D in microglial regulation and anti-inflammatory processes during aerobic exercise may uncover novel therapeutic targets for early cognitive impairments in AD. METHODS: Male 5 ×FAD mice underwent treadmill training to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise. Before training, recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) encoding INPP5D was injected into the hippocampus to induce overexpression. Treadmill exercise commenced 21 days post-injection, once viral expression was established. Viral expression was confirmed via immunofluorescence staining and Western blot analysis. Cognitive function was assessed using the novel object recognition test and the Morris water maze (MWM). Hippocampal Aβ deposition was examined through immunohistochemical staining. Levels of neuroinflammatory markers in the hippocampus and serum were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Microglial activation was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. The interaction between INPP5D and TREM2, as well as TREM2 expression, was analyzed using co-immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. Additionally, the expression of cGAS and STING proteins was determined by Western blotting. RESULTS: Aerobic exercise improved learning and memory impairments in 5 ×FAD mice through the regulation of INPP5D, leading to reduced Aβ deposition in the hippocampus and attenuation of neuroinflammation in both the hippocampus and serum. It also modulated microglial activation in the hippocampus. Moreover, aerobic exercise upregulated TREM2 expression by regulating INPP5D and suppressed activation of the cGAS-STING inflammatory pathway. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that aerobic exercise alleviates neuroinflammation and improves early learning and memory impairments in AD by modulating microglial activity through INPP5D. These findings offer new insights into the underlying mechanisms by which aerobic exercise mitigates neuroinflammation in AD, highlighting its therapeutic potential.

Source: Brain Research Bulletin

DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111633