Human PSEN1 Mutant Glia Improve Spatial Learning and Memory in Aged Mice

The PSEN1 Delta E9 mutation causes a familial form of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by shifting the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) towards the generation of highly amyloidogenic A beta 42 peptide. We have previously shown that the PSEN1 Delta E9 mutation in human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived astrocytes increases A beta 42 production and impairs cellular responses. Here, we injected PSEN1 Delta E9 mutant astrosphere-derived glial progenitors into newborn mice and investigated mouse behavior at the ages of 8, 12, and 16 months. While we did not find significant behavioral changes in younger mice, spatial learning and memory were paradoxically improved in 16-month-old PSEN1 Delta E9 glia-transplanted male mice as compared to age-matched isogenic control-transplanted animals. Memory improvement was associated with lower levels of soluble, but not insoluble, human A beta 42 in the mouse brain. We also found a decreased engraftment of PSEN1 Delta E9 mutant cells in the cingulate cortex and significant transcriptional changes in both human and mouse genes in the hippocampus, including the extracellular matrix-related genes. Overall, the presence of PSEN1 Delta E9 mutant glia exerted a more beneficial effect on aged mouse brain than the isogenic control human cells likely as a combination of several factors.