Evaluations of the neuroprotective effects of a dual-target isoquinoline inhibitor in the triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients exhibit neuropathological features, such as amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and neurogenic fibrillary tangles. These features are thought to play important pathogenic roles, including neuronal dysfunction and apoptosis in the disease progression. Herein, we systematically evaluated a previously reported dual-target isoquinoline inhibitor ( 9S ) for cholinesterase and Aβ aggregation in in vitro and in vivo models of AD. 9S exhibited neuroprotective effects in Aβ-induced and PHF6-induced PC12 cell models as well as in an okadaic acid-induced SH-SY5Y cell model, which were due to attenuated neuronal apoptosis through modulations of GSK-3β phosphorylation and reactive oxygen species. One-month administration of 9S to triple transgenic AD (3 × Tg-AD) female mice (aged 6 months) led to significant improvement in cognitive deficits. Whereas similar treatment regimens for older 3 × Tg-AD female mice (aged 10 months) showed negligible neuroprotective effects. These findings suggest the importance of therapeutic intervention at the early stage of the disease.