Exploring Temporal and Sex-Linked Dysregulation in Alzheimer's Disease Phospho-Proteome

Abstract

This study aims to characterize dysregulation of phosphorylation for the 5XFAD mouse model of Alzheimers disease (AD). Employing global phosphoproteome measurements, we analyze temporal (3, 6, 9 months) and sex-dependent effects on mouse hippocampus tissue to unveil molecular signatures associated with AD initiation and progression. Our results indicate 1.9 to 4.4 times higher phosphorylation prevalence compared to protein expression across all time points, with approximately 4.5 times greater prevalence in females compared to males at 3 and 9 months. Moreover, our findings reveal consistent phosphorylation of known AD biomarkers APOE and GFAP in 5XFAD mice, alongside novel candidates BIG3, CLCN6 and STX7, suggesting their potential as biomarkers for AD pathology. In addition, we identify PDK1 as a significantly dysregulated kinase at 9 months in females, and the regulation of gap junction activity as a key pathway associated with Alzheimers disease across all time points. AD-Xplorer, the interactive browser of our dataset, enables exploration of AD-related changes in phosphorylation, protein expression, kinase activities, and pathways. AD-Xplorer aids in biomarker discovery and therapeutic target identification, emphasizing temporal and sex-specific nature of significant phosphoproteomic signatures. Available at: https://yilmazs.shinyapps.io/ADXplorer HighlightsO_LIPhosphorylation-level dysregulation surpasses protein expression C_LIO_LIHigher phospho-dysregulation in females, starting as early as 3-month time point C_LIO_LINovel candidates BIG3, CLCN6, and STX7 exhibit consistent phospho-dysregulation C_LIO_LIDeveloped AD-Xplorer: Online tool to explore Alzheimers disease phospho-proteome C_LI In BriefThis study investigates dysregulation of phospho-proteome in an Alzheimers disease (AD) mouse model, identifying consistent phosphorylation of established AD biomarkers APOE and GFAP, along with novel candidate biomarkers BIG3, CLCN6, and STX7. In addition, the study observes significant PDK1 dysregulation at 9 months, particularly in females. AD-Xplorer, our interactive tool for exploring temporal and sex-linked phosphorylation changes, protein expression, kinase activities, and pathway enrichment, empowers researchers to gain deeper insights into AD mechanisms and uncover novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.