IDA-SWATH proteomic analysis of rat hippocampus upon methylglyoxal treatment

Diabetes is one of the major risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) development. The role of elevated levels of glucose, methylglyoxal (MGO), and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in diabetes in the pathogenesis of the AD is not well understood. In this pursuit, we studied the role of methylglyoxal in the pathogenesis of AD in rat models. The elevated plus-maze (EPM) behavioural study indicated that MGO induces anxiety. Treatment of telmisartan (RAGE expression inhibitor) and aminoguanidine (MGO quencher) attenuated MGO induced anxiety. Further, hippocampal proteomics demonstrated that MGO treated rats differentially regulate proteins involved in calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial functioning, and apoptosis which may affect neurotransmission and neuronal plasticity. Hippocampal tau phosphorylation level was increased in MGO treated rats which was reduced in presence in aminoguanidine and telmisartan. Plasma fructosamine level was increased upon MGO treatment. Hippocampal histochemistry showed vascular degeneration and neuronal loss upon MGO treatment. This study provides mechanistic insight into the role of MGO in the diabetes-associated development of AD.