Characterization of astrocytes throughout life in wildtype and APP/PS1 mice after early-life stress exposure

Abstract Background Early-life stress (ES) is an emerging risk factor for later-life development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We have previously shown that ES modulates amyloid-beta pathology and the microglial response to it in the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model. Because astrocytes are key players in the pathogenesis of AD, we studied here if and how ES affects astrocytes in wildtype (WT) and APP/PS1 mice, and how these relate to the previously reported amyloid pathology and microglial profile. Methods We induced ES by limiting nesting and bedding material from postnatal days (P) 2-9. We studied in WT mice (at P9, P30 and 6 months) and in APP/PS1 mice (at 4 and 10 months) i) GFAP coverage, cell density and complexity in hippocampus (HPC) and entorhinal cortex (EC); ii) hippocampal gene expression of astrocyte markers; and iii) the relationship between astrocyte, microglia and amyloid markers. Results In WT mice, ES increased GFAP coverage in HPC subregions at P9, and decreased it at 10 months. APP/PS1 mice at 10 months exhibited both individual cell as well as clustered GFAP signals. APP/PS1 mice when compared to WT exhibited reduced total GFAP coverage in HPC, which is increased in the EC, while coverage of the clustered GFAP signal in the HPC was increased and accompanied by increased expression of several astrocytic genes. While measured astrocytic parameters in APP/PS1 mice appear not be further modulated by ES, analyzing these in the context of ES-induced alterations to amyloid pathology and microglial shows alterations at both 4 and 10 months of age. Conclusions Our data suggest that ES leads to alterations to the astrocytic response to amyloid-β pathology.