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Mechanisms of the signaling metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate in Alzheimer's disease and the aging brain

Award Number: R01AG067333
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2026

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Mechanisms of the signaling metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate in Alzheimer's disease and the aging brain - PROJECT SUMMARY Signaling metabolites are small molecules with routine functions in cellular energy metabolism that also act as signals to regulate diverse cellular pathways in response to a changing energy state. Signaling metabolites link nutrition to aging. Many of the emerging geroscience therapies that target mechanisms of aging have come from the discovery and understanding of signaling metabolites. The ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is a new signaling metabolite. It is produced during fasting, dietary restriction, exercise, or carbohydrate restriction to keep the body's tissues supplied with energy when glucose is scarce. We now have growing evidence that it also functions as a signal, by inhibiting enzymes, binding directly to proteins as a post-translational modification, and activating receptors. Through its signaling activities, BHB regulates gene expression, inflammation, metabolism, senescence, and other cellular activities important to both aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We recently showed for the first time that ketogenic diet (KD), which stimulates endogenous production of BHB similar to fasting, improves survival in aging mice and prevents age-related declines in memory. We also found that KD improves memory in the hAPPJ20 AD mouse model, and reduces abnormal epileptiform discharges that contribute to memory decline. KD is a complex intervention, and though it is now being studied in clinical trials of AD, a better understanding of which aspects of KD are most helpful should lead to better targeted and more effective therapies. We have successfully developed an innovative toolset of dietary, chemical, and genetic tools to isolate the individual components of KD, including carbohydrate restriction, BHB, energy provision by BHB, and cellular signaling activities of BHB. We will use these tools to uncover the specific mechanisms by which BHB improves memory in normal aging and in AD mice (Aim 1), and reduces epileptiform discharges in AD mice (Aim 2). We will characterize key molecular changes that BHB causes in the proteomic landscape of the brain, including mapping the acetylome and new BHBylome (Aim 3). This project combines expertise in both geroscience and AD with a deep understanding of BHB biology to carry out closely aligned mechanistic studies using both aging and AD models. It examines the intersection of a molecular mechanism that is broadly relevant to aging (ketone bodies as metabolic signals) with one highly specific to AD (aberrant epilepsy-like network hypersynchrony). It is highly likely to stimulate further progress on AD because the mechanistic framework it generates will directly inform translational studies involving ketone body compounds and ketogenic diets. These data will help establish criteria for designing effective interventions, provide relevant intermediate biomarkers, and permit deeper investigation into the downstream molecular targets most relevant to AD.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $806,483 )
2026	2026	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	000	6	8/31/2026	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$806,483
2026	2024	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	001	5	9/30/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $806,483

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $758,000 )
2024	2024	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	000	5	6/11/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$758,000
														Subtotal = $758,000

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $803,072 )
2023	2023	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	000	4	7/7/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$758,000
2023	2023	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	001	4	7/11/2023	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$45,072
														Subtotal = $803,072

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $929,276 )
2022	2022	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	002	3	7/5/2022	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$45,072
2022	2022	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	003	3	7/21/2022	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$63,102
2022	2022	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	000	2	10/29/2021	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$63,102
2022	2022	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	001	3	6/30/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$758,000
														Subtotal = $929,276

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $758,000 )
2021	2021	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	000	2	6/16/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$758,000
														Subtotal = $758,000

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $781,500 )
2020	2020	BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING	8001 REDWOOD BLVD	NOVATO	CA	94945	MARIN	USA	Aging Research	000	1	5/12/2020	NEW	$781,500
														Subtotal = $781,500

Grand Total All Awards = $4,836,331

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Mechanisms of the signaling metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate in Alzheimer's disease and the aging brain

Award Number: R01AG067333

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2026

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