UC Irvine

Redox systems including extracellular cysteine/cystine (Cys/CySS), intracellular glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced/oxidized forms (NADH/NAD⁺) are critical for maintaining redox homeostasis. Aging as a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with oxidative shifts, decreases in anti-oxidant protection and dysfunction of mitochondria. Here, we examined the flexibility of mitochondrial-specific free NADH in live neurons from non-transgenic (NTg) or triple transgenic AD-like mice (3xTg-AD) of different ages under an imposed extracellular Cys/CySS oxidative or reductive condition. We used phasor fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to distinguish free and bound NADH in mitochondria, nuclei and cytoplasm. Under an external oxidative stress, a lower capacity for maintaining mitochondrial free NADH levels was found in old compared to young neurons and a further decline with genetic load. Remarkably, an imposed Cys/CySS reductive state rejuvenated the mitochondrial free NADH levels of old NTg neurons by 71% and old 3xTg-AD neurons by 89% to levels corresponding to the young neurons. Using FLIM as a non-invasive approach, we were able to measure the reversibility of aging subcellular free NADH levels in live neurons. Our results suggest a potential reductive treatment to reverse the loss of free NADH in old and Alzheimer's neurons.