Data from paper: Reducing voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv3.4 levels ameliorates synapse loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

Synapse loss is associated with cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and owing to their plastic nature, synapses are an ideal target for therapeutic intervention. Oligomeric amyloid beta (Abeta) around amyloid plaques is known to contribute to synapse loss in mouse models and is associated with synapse loss in human AD brain tissue, but the mechanisms leading from Aβ to synapse loss remain unclear. Recent data suggest that the fast-activating and -inactivating voltage-gated potassium channel subtype 3.4 (Kv3.4) may play a role in Abeta-mediated neurotoxicity. Here, we tested whether this channel could also be involved in Aβ synaptotoxicity. Using adeno-associated virus and CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) technology, we reduced Kv3.4 expression in neurons of the somatosensory cortex of APP/PS1 mice. These mice express human familial AD associated mutations in amyloid precursor protein and presenilin 1 and develop amyloid plaques and plaque-associated synapse loss similar to that observed in AD brain. We observe that reducing Kv3.4 levels ameliorates dendritic spine loss and changes spine morphology compared to control virus. In support of translational relevance, Kv3.4 protein was observed in human AD and control brain and is associated with synapses in human iPSC-derived cortical neurons. Interestingly, we observe a decrease in Kv3.4 expression in iPSC derived cortical neurons when they are challenged with human Alzheimer’s disease derived brain homogenate either containing Abeta or immunodepleted to remove Abeta These results suggest that approaches to reduce Kv3.4 expression and/or function could be protective against Abeta-induced synaptic alterations. This dataset includes the .csv files and R studio scripts for generating graphs and statistical analyses for the published paper.

Spires-Jones, Tara. (2022). Data from paper: Reducing voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv3.4 levels ameliorates synapse loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, [dataset]. University of Edinburgh https://doi.org/10.7488/ds/3412.