The Anaesthetics Isoflurane and Xenon Reverse the Synaptotoxic Effects of Aβ(1–42) on Megf10-Dependent Astrocytic Synapse Elimination and Spine Density in Ex Vivo Hippocampal Brain Slices

It has been hypothesised that inhalational anaesthetics such as isoflurane (Iso) may trigger the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), while the gaseous anaesthetic xenon (Xe) exhibits many features of a putative neuroprotective agent. Loss of synapses is regarded as one key cause of dementia in AD. Multiple EGF-like domains 10 (MEGF10) is one of the phagocytic receptors which assists the elimination of synapses by astrocytes. Here, we investigated how β-amyloid peptide 1–42 (Aβ(1–42)), Iso and Xe interact with MEGF10-dependent synapse elimination. Murine cultured astrocytes as well as cortical and hippocampal ex vivo brain slices were treated with either Aβ(1–42), Iso or Xe and the combination of Aβ(1–42) with either Iso or Xe. We quantified MEGF10 expression in astrocytes and dendritic spine density (DSD) in slices. In brain slices of wild type and AAV-induced MEGF10 knock-down mice, antibodies against astrocytes (GFAP), pre- (synaptophysin) and postsynaptic (PSD95) components were used for co-localization analyses by means of immunofluorescence-imaging and 3D rendering techniques. Aβ(1–42) elevated pre- and postsynaptic components inside astrocytes and decreased DSD. The combined application with either Iso or Xe reversed these effects. In the presence of Aβ(1–42) both anaesthetics decreased MEGF10 expression. AAV-induced knock-down of MEGF10 reduced the pre- and postsynaptic marker inside astrocytes. The presented data suggest Iso and Xe are able to reverse the Aβ(1–42)-induced enhancement of synaptic elimination in ex vivo hippocampal brain slices, presumably through MEGF10 downregulation.