Extracellular phosphorylation of the amyloid β-peptide promotes formation of toxic aggregates during the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid-β dimers in the absence of plaque pathology impair learning and synaptic plasticity

Despite amyloid plaques, consisting of insoluble, aggregated amyloid-β peptides, being a defining feature of Alzheimer’s disease, their significance has been challenged due to controversial findings regarding the correlation of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease with plaque load. The amyloid cascade hypothesis defines soluble amyloid-β oligomers, consisting of multiple amyloid-β monomers, as precursors of insoluble amyloid-β plaques. Dissecting the biological effects of single amyloid-β oligomers, for example of amyloid-β dimers, an abundant amyloid-β oligomer associated with clinical progression of Alzheimer’s disease, has been difficult due to the inability to control the kinetics of amyloid-β multimerization. For investigating the biological effects of amyloid-β dimers, we stabilized amyloid-β dimers by an intermolecular disulphide bridge via a cysteine mutation in the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ-S8C) of the amyloid precursor protein. This construct was expressed as a recombinant protein in cells and in a novel transgenic mouse, termed tgDimer mouse. This mouse formed constant levels of highly synaptotoxic soluble amyloid-β dimers, but not monomers, amyloid-β plaques or insoluble amyloid-β during its lifespan. Accordingly, neither signs of neuroinflammation, tau hyperphosphorylation or cell death were observed. Nevertheless, these tgDimer mice did exhibit deficits in hippocampal long-term potentiation and age-related impairments in learning and memory, similar to what was observed in classical Alzheimer’s disease mouse models. Although the amyloid-β dimers were unable to initiate the formation of insoluble amyloid-β aggregates in tgDimer mice, after crossbreeding tgDimer mice with the CRND8 mouse, an amyloid-β plaque generating mouse model, Aβ-S8C dimers were sequestered into amyloid-β plaques, suggesting that amyloid-β plaques incorporate neurotoxic amyloid-β dimers that by themselves are unable to self-assemble. Our results suggest that within the fine interplay between different amyloid-β species, amyloid-β dimer neurotoxic signalling, in the absence of amyloid-β plaque pathology, may be involved in causing early deficits in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory that accompany Alzheimer’s disease.

10.1093/brain/awv355_video_abstract awv355_video_abstract

The aqueous phase of Alzheimer's disease brain contains assemblies built from ∼4 and ∼7 kDa Aβ species

INTRODUCTION

Much knowledge about amyloid β (Aβ) aggregation and toxicity has been acquired using synthetic peptides and mouse models, whereas less is known about soluble Aβ in human brain.

METHODS

We analyzed aqueous extracts from multiple AD brains using an array of techniques.

RESULTS

Brains can contain at least four different Aβ assembly forms including: (i) monomers, (ii) a ∼7 kDa Aβ species, and larger species (iii) from ∼30-150 kDa, and (iv) >160 kDa. High molecular weight species are by far the most prevalent and appear to be built from ∼7 kDa Aβ species. The ∼7 kDa Aβ species resist denaturation by chaotropic agents and have a higher Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio than monomers, and are unreactive with antibodies to Asp1 of Ab or APP residues N-terminal of Asp1.

DISCUSSION

Further analysis of brain-derived ∼7 kDa Aβ species, the mechanism by which they assemble and the structures they form should reveal therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities.

Impact of amyloid β aggregate maturation on antibody treatment in APP23 mice

Introduction

The deposition of the amyloid β protein (Aβ) in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Removal of Aβ by Aβ-antibody treatment has been developed as a potential treatment strategy against AD. First clinical trials showed neither a stop nor a reduction of disease progression. Recently, we have shown that the formation of soluble and insoluble Aβ aggregates in the human brain follows a hierarchical sequence of three biochemical maturation stages (B-Aβ stages). To test the impact of the B-Aβ stage on Aβ immunotherapy, we treated transgenic mice expressing human amyloid precursor protein (APP) carrying the Swedish mutation (KM670/671NL; APP23) with the Aβ-antibody β1 or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) beginning 1) at 3 months, before the onset of dendrite degeneration and plaque deposition, and 2) at 7 months, after the start of Aβ plaque deposition and dendrite degeneration.

Results

At 5 months of age, first Aβ aggregates in APP23 brain consisted of non-modified Aβ (representing B-Aβ stage 1) whereas mature Aβ-aggregates containing N-terminal truncated, pyroglutamate-modified Aβ_N3pE and phosphorylated Aβ (representing B-Aβ stage 3) were found at 11 months of age in both β1- and PBS-treated animals. Protective effects on commissural neurons with highly ramified dendritic trees were observed only in 3-month-old β1-treated animals sacrificed at 5 months. When treatment started at 7 months of age, no differences in the numbers of healthy commissural neurons were observed between β1- and PBS-treated APP23 mice sacrificed with 11 months.

Conclusions

Aβ antibody treatment was capable of protecting neurons from dendritic degeneration as long as Aβ aggregation was absent or represented B-Aβ stage 1 but had no protective or curative effect in later stages with mature Aβ aggregates (B-Aβ stage 3). These data indicate that the maturation stage of Aβ aggregates has impact on potential treatment effects in APP23 mice.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40478-015-0217-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dementia of the eye: the role of amyloid beta in retinal degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most common causes of irreversible blindness affecting nearly 50 million individuals globally. The disease is characterised by progressive loss of central vision, which has significant implications for quality of life concerns in an increasingly ageing population. AMD pathology manifests in the macula, a specialised region of the retina, which is responsible for central vision and perception of fine details. The underlying pathology of this complex degenerative disease is incompletely understood but includes both genetic as well as epigenetic risk factors. The recent discovery that amyloid beta (Aβ), a highly toxic and aggregate-prone family of peptides, is elevated in the ageing retina and is associated with AMD has opened up new perspectives on the aetiology of this debilitating blinding disease. Multiple studies now link Aβ with key stages of AMD progression, which is both exciting and potentially insightful, as this identifies a well-established toxic agent that aggressively targets cells in degenerative brains. Here, we review the most recent findings supporting the hypothesis that Aβ may be a key factor in AMD pathology. We describe how multiple Aβ reservoirs, now reported in the ageing eye, may target the cellular physiology of the retina as well as associated layers, and propose a mechanistic pathway of Aβ-mediated degenerative change leading to AMD.

Few-layer bismuth selenides exfoliated by hemin inhibit amyloid-β1-42 fibril formation

Inhibiting amyloid-β (Aβ) fibril formation is the primary therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease. Several small molecules and nanomaterials have been used to inhibit Aβ fibril formation. However, insufficient inhibition efficiency or poor metabolization limits their further applications. Here, we used hemin to exfoliate few-layer Bi(2)Se(3) in aqueous solution. Then we separated few-layer Bi(2)Se(3) with different sizes and thicknesses by fractional centrifugation, and used them to attempt to inhibit Aβ(1-42) aggregation. The results show that smaller and thinner few-layer Bi(2)Se(3) had the highest inhibition efficiency. We further investigated the interaction between few-layer Bi(2)Se(3) and Aβ(1-42) monomers. The results indicate that the inhibition effect may be due to the high adsorption capacity of few-layer Bi(2)Se(3) for Aβ(1-42) monomers. Few-layer Bi(2)Se(3) also decreased Aβ-mediated peroxidase-like activity and cytotoxicity according to in vitro neurotoxicity studies under physiological conditions. Therefore, our work shows the potential for applications of few-layer Bi(2)Se(3) in the biomedical field.

Proteinopathies, a core concept for understanding and ultimately treating degenerative disorders?

The current review covers proteinopathies an umbrella term for neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by the accumulation of specific proteins within neurons or in the brain parenchyma. Most prevalent examples for typical proteinopathies are Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. In healthy brain, these proteins are unstructured as a monomer, serving most likely as the physiological form. In a disease condition, the unstructured proteins experience a conformational change leading to small oligomers that eventually will aggregate into higher order structures. Prion disease is an exception within the family of proteinopathies as the aggregated prion protein is highly infectious and can self-aggregate and propagate. Recent reports might implicate a prion-like spread of misfolded proteins in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease; however there are evident differences in comparison to prion diseases. As proteinopathies are caused by the aggregation of disease-typical proteins with an ordered structure, active and passive immunization protocols have been used to expose model systems to therapeutic antibodies that bind to the aggregates thereby inhibiting the prolongation into higher ordered fibrils or dissolving the existing fibrillar structure. While most of the immunization treatments have been only carried out in preclinical model systems overexpressing the disease-relevant aggregating protein, other approaches are already in clinical testing. Taking the core concept of proteinopathies with conformationally altered protein aggregates into account, immunization appears to be a very promising therapeutic option for neurodegenerative disorders.

Conformation-specific antibodies to target amyloid β oligomers and their application to immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid β-protein (Aβ) oligomers, intermediates of Aβ aggregation, cause cognitive impairment and synaptotoxicity in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Immunotherapy using anti-Aβ antibody is one of the most promising approaches for AD treatment. However, most clinical trials using conventional sequence-specific antibodies have proceeded with difficulty. This is probably due to the unintended removal of the non-pathological monomer and fibrils of Aβ as well as the pathological oligomers by these antibodies that recognize Aβ sequence, which is not involved in synaptotoxicity. Several efforts have been made recently to develop conformation-specific antibodies that target the tertiary structure of Aβ oligomers. Here, we review the recent findings of Aβ oligomers and anti-Aβ antibodies including our own, and discuss their potential as therapeutic and diagnostic tools.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 phosphorylation of familial prion protein mutants exacerbates conversion into amyloid structure

Familial prion protein (PrP) mutants undergo conversion from soluble and protease-sensitive to insoluble and partially protease-resistant proteins. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) phosphorylation of wild type PrP (pPrP) at serine 43 induces a conversion of PrP into aggregates and fibrils. Here, we investigated whether familial PrP mutants are predisposed to Cdk5 phosphorylation and whether phosphorylation of familial PrP mutants increases conversion. PrP mutants representing three major familial PrP diseases and different PrP structural domains were studied. We developed a novel in vitro kinase reaction coupled with Thioflavin T binding to amyloid structure assay to monitor phosphorylation-dependent amyloid conversion. Although non-phosphorylated full-length wild type or PrP mutants did not convert into amyloid, Cdk5 phosphorylation rapidly converted these into Thioflavin T-positive structures following first order kinetics. Dephosphorylation partially reversed conversion. Phosphorylation-dependent conversion of PrP from α-helical structures into β-sheet structures was confirmed by circular dichroism. Relative to wild type pPrP, most PrP mutants showed increased rate constants of conversion. In contrast, non-phosphorylated truncated PrP Y145X (where X represents a stop codon) and Q160X mutants converted spontaneously into Thioflavin T-positive fibrils after a lag phase of over 20 h, indicating nucleation-dependent polymerization. Phosphorylation reduced the lag phase by over 50% and thus accelerated the formation of the nucleating event. Consistently, phosphorylated Y145X and phosphorylated Q160X exacerbated conversion in a homologous seeding reaction, whereas WT pPrP could not seed WT PrP. These results demonstrate an influence of both the N terminus and the C terminus of PrP on conversion. We conclude that post-translational modifications of the flexible N terminus of PrP can cause or exacerbate PrP mutant conversion.

Phosphorylation as conformational switch from the native to amyloid state: Trp-cage as a protein aggregation model

The 20 residue long Trp-cage miniprotein is an excellent model for both computational and experimental studies of protein folding and stability. Recently, great attention emerged to study disease-related protein misfolding, aggregation, and amyloid formation, with the aim of revealing their structural and thermodynamic background. Trp-cage is sensitive to both environmental and structure-modifying effects. It aggregates with ease upon structure destabilization, and thus it is suitable for modeling aggregation and amyloid formation. Here, we characterize the amyloid formation of several sequence modified and side-chain phosphorylated Trp-cage variants. We applied NMR, circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in conjunction with thioflavin-T (ThT) fluorescence measurements to reveal the structural consequences of side-chain phosphorylation. We demonstrate that the native fold is destabilized upon serine phosphorylation, and the resultant highly dynamic structures form amyloid-like ordered aggregates with high intermolecular β-structure content. The only exception is the D9S(P) variant, which follows an alternative aggregation process by forming thin fibrils, presenting a CD spectrum of PPII helix, and showing low ThT binding capability. We propose a complex aggregation model for these Trp-cage miniproteins. This model assumes an additional aggregated state, a collagen triple helical form that can precede amyloid formation. The phosphorylation of a single serine residue serves as a conformational switch, triggering aggregation, otherwise mediated by kinases in cell. We show that Trp-cage miniprotein is indeed a realistic model of larger globular systems of composite folding and aggregation landscapes and helps us to understand the fundamentals of deleterious protein aggregation and amyloid formation.

Neuropathology and biochemistry of Aβ and its aggregates in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by β-amyloid plaques and intraneuronal τ aggregation usually associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Both β-amyloid plaques and CAA deposits contain fibrillar aggregates of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ). Aβ plaques and CAA develop first in neocortical areas of preclinical AD patients and, then, expand in a characteristic sequence into further brain regions with end-stage pathology in symptomatic AD patients. Aβ aggregates are not restricted to amyloid plaques and CAA. Soluble and several types of insoluble non-plaque- and non-CAA-associated Aβ aggregates have been described. Amyloid fibrils are products of a complex self-assembly process that involves different types of transient intermediates. Amongst these intermediate species are protofibrils and oligomers. Different variants of Aβ peptides may result from alternative processing or from mutations that lead to rare forms of familial AD. These variants can exhibit different self-assembly and aggregation properties. In addition, several post-translational modifications of Aβ have been described that result, for example, in the production of N-terminal truncated Aβ with pyroglutamate modification at position 3 (AβN3pE) or of Aβ phosphorylated at serine 8 (pSer8Aβ). Both AβN3pE and pSer8Aβ show enhanced aggregation into oligomers and fibrils. However, the earliest detectable soluble and insoluble Aβ aggregates in the human brain exhibit non-modified Aβ, whereas AβN3pE and pSer8Aβ are detected in later stages. This finding indicates the existence of different biochemical stages of Aβ aggregate maturation with pSer8Aβ being related mainly to cases with symptomatic AD. The conversion from preclinical to symptomatic AD could thereby be related to combined effects of increased Aβ concentration, maturation of aggregates and spread of deposits into additional brain regions. Thus, the inhibition of Aβ aggregation and maturation before entering the symptomatic stage of the disease as indicated by the accumulation of pSer8Aβ may represent an attractive treatment strategy for preventing disease progression.

The multifaceted nature of amyloid precursor protein and its proteolytic fragments: friends and foes

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) has occupied a central position in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology, in large part due to the seminal role of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), a proteolytic fragment derived from APP. Although the contribution of Aβ to AD pathogenesis is accepted by many in the research community, recent studies have unveiled a more complicated picture of APP's involvement in neurodegeneration in that other APP-derived fragments have been shown to exert pathological influences on neuronal function. However, not all APP-derived peptides are neurotoxic, and some even harbor neuroprotective effects. In this review, we will explore this complex picture by first discussing the pleiotropic effects of the major APP-derived peptides cleaved by multiple proteases, including soluble APP peptides (sAPPα, sAPPβ), various C- and N-terminal fragments, p3, and APP intracellular domain fragments. In addition, we will highlight two interesting sequences within APP that likely contribute to this duality in APP function. First, it has been found that caspase-mediated cleavage of APP in the cytosolic region may release a cytotoxic peptide, C31, which plays a role in synapse loss and neuronal death. Second, recent studies have implicated the -YENPTY- motif in the cytoplasmic region as a domain that modulates several APP activities through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the first tyrosine residue. Thus, this review summarizes the current understanding of various APP proteolytic products and the interplay among them to gain deeper insights into the possible mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and AD pathophysiology.

Age-induced reduction of autophagy-related gene expression is associated with onset of Alzheimer's disease

Aging is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus is a hallmark of AD. Many factors have been identified as causative elements for onset and progression of AD; for instance, tau seems to mediate the neuronal toxicity of Aβ, and downregulation of macroautophagy (autophagy) is thought to be a causative element of AD pathology. Expression of autophagy-related genes is reduced with age, which leads to increases in oxidative stress and aberrant protein accumulation. In this study, we found that expression of the autophagy-related genes atg1, atg8a, and atg18 in Drosophila melanogaster was regulated with aging as well as their own activities. In addition, the level of atg18 was maintained by dfoxo (foxo) and dsir2 (sir2) activities in concert with aging. These results indicate that some autophagy-related gene expression is regulated by foxo/sir2-mediated aging processes. We further found that reduced autophagy activity correlated with late-onset neuronal dysfunction caused by neuronal induction of Aβ. These data support the idea that age-related dysfunction of autophagy is a causative element in onset and progression of AD.

Amyloid beta receptors responsible for neurotoxicity and cellular defects in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease. Although a major cause of AD is the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide that induces neuronal loss and cognitive impairments, our understanding of its neurotoxic mechanisms is limited. Recent studies have identified putative Aβ-binding receptors that mediate Aβ neurotoxicity in cells and models of AD. Once Aβ interacts with a receptor, a toxic signal is transduced into neurons, resulting in cellular defects including endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, Aβ can also be internalized into neurons through unidentified Aβ receptors and induces malfunction of subcellular organelles, which explains some part of Aβ neurotoxicity. Understanding the neurotoxic signaling initiated by Aβ-receptor binding and cellular defects provide insight into new therapeutic windows for AD. In the present review, we summarize the findings on Aβ-binding receptors and the neurotoxicity of oligomeric Aβ.

Ecto-protein kinases and phosphatases: an emerging field for translational medicine

Progress in translational research has led to effective new treatments of a large number of diseases. Despite this progress, diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disorders still are at the top in death statistics and disorders such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis represent an increasing disease burden in the aging population. Novel strategies in research are needed more than ever to overcome such diseases. The growing field of extracellular protein phosphorylation provides excellent opportunities to make major discoveries of disease mechanisms that can lead to novel therapies. Reversible phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of sites in the extracellular domains of matrix, cell-surface and trans-membrane proteins is emerging as a critical regulatory mechanism in health and disease. Moreover, a new concept is emerging from studies of extracellular protein phosphorylation: in cells where ATP is stored within secretory vesicles and released by exocytosis upon cell-stimulation, phosphorylation of extracellular proteins can operate as a messenger operating uniquely in signaling pathways responsible for long-term cellular adaptation. Here, we highlight new concepts that arise from this research, and discuss translation of the findings into clinical applications such as development of diagnostic disease markers and next-generation drugs.

Truncated and modified amyloid-beta species

Alzheimer’s disease pathology is closely connected to the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) resulting in the formation of a variety of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides. They are found as insoluble aggregates in senile plaques, the histopathological hallmark of the disease. These peptides are also found in soluble, mostly monomeric and dimeric, forms in the interstitial and cerebrospinal fluid. Due to the combination of several enzymatic activities during APP processing, Aβ peptides exist in multiple isoforms possessing different N-termini and C-termini. These peptides include, to a certain extent, part of the juxtamembrane and transmembrane domain of APP. Besides differences in size, post-translational modifications of Aβ – including oxidation, phosphorylation, nitration, racemization, isomerization, pyroglutamylation, and glycosylation – generate a plethora of peptides with different physiological and pathological properties that may modulate disease progression.

Transient dynamics of Aβ contribute to toxicity in Alzheimer's disease

The aggregation and deposition of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) in the brain has been linked with neuronal death, which progresses in the diagnostic and pathological signs of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The transition of an unstructured monomeric peptide into self-assembled and more structured aggregates is the crucial conversion from what appears to be a harmless polypeptide into a malignant form that causes synaptotoxicity and neuronal cell death. Despite efforts to identify the toxic form of Aβ, the development of effective treatments for AD is still limited by the highly transient and dynamic nature of interconverting forms of Aβ. The variability within the in vivo “pool” of different Aβ peptides is another complicating factor. Here we review the dynamical interplay between various components that influence the heterogeneous Aβ system, from intramolecular Aβ flexibility to intermolecular dynamics between various Aβ alloforms and external factors. The complex dynamics of Aβ contributes to the causative role of Aβ in the pathogenesis of AD.

Simultaneous measurement of a range of particle sizes during Aβ1-42 fibrillogenesis quantified using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Low molecular weight oligomers of amyloid beta (Aβ) are important drivers of Alzheimer's disease. A decrease in Aβ monomer levels in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is observed in Alzheimers' patients and is a robust biomarker of the disease. It has been suggested that the decrease in monomer levels in CSF is due to the formation of Aβ oligomers. A robust technique capable of identifying Aβ oligomers in CSF is therefore desirable. We have used fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and a five Gaussian distribution model (5GDM) to monitor the aggregation of Aβ1-42 in sodium phosphate buffer and in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). In buffer, several different sized components (monomer, oligomers, protofibrils and fibrils) can be identified simultaneously using 5GDM. In ACSF, the faster kinetics of fibrillogenesis leads to the formation of fibrils on very short timescales. This analysis method can also be used to monitor the aggregation of other proteins, nanoparticles or colloids, even in complex biological fluids.

Phosphorylation of Ser8 promotes zinc-induced dimerization of the amyloid-β metal-binding domain

Phosphorylation of Ser8 leads to the formation of a new Zn²⁺ binding site and promotes zinc-induced dimerization of Aβ(1–16).

The type of Aβ-related neuronal degeneration differs between amyloid precursor protein (APP23) and amyloid β-peptide (APP48) transgenic mice

Background

The deposition of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) in the brain is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is not yet clear whether Aβ always leads to similar changes or whether it induces different features of neurodegeneration in relation to its intra- and/or extracellular localization or to its intracellular trafficking routes. To address this question, we have analyzed two transgenic mouse models: APP48 and APP23 mice. The APP48 mouse expresses Aβ_1-42 with a signal sequence in neurons. These animals produce intracellular Aβ independent of amyloid precursor protein (APP) but do not develop extracellular Aβ plaques. The APP23 mouse overexpresses human APP with the Swedish mutation (KM670/671NL) in neurons and produces APP-derived extracellular Aβ plaques and intracellular Aβ aggregates.

Results

Tracing of commissural neurons in layer III of the frontocentral cortex with the DiI tracer revealed no morphological signs of dendritic degeneration in APP48 mice compared to littermate controls. In contrast, the dendritic tree of highly ramified commissural frontocentral neurons was altered in 15-month-old APP23 mice. The density of asymmetric synapses in the frontocentral cortex was reduced in 3- and 15-month-old APP23 but not in 3- and 18-month-old APP48 mice. Frontocentral neurons of 18-month-old APP48 mice showed an increased proportion of altered mitochondria in the soma compared to wild type and APP23 mice. Aβ was often seen in the membrane of neuronal mitochondria in APP48 mice at the ultrastructural level.

Conclusions

These results indicate that APP-independent intracellular Aβ accumulation in APP48 mice is not associated with dendritic and neuritic degeneration but with mitochondrial alterations whereas APP-derived extra- and intracellular Aβ pathology in APP23 mice is linked to dendrite degeneration and synapse loss independent of obvious mitochondrial alterations. Thus, Aβ aggregates in APP23 and APP48 mice induce neurodegeneration presumably by different mechanisms and APP-related production of Aβ may, thereby, play a role for the degeneration of neurites and synapses.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2051-5960-1-77) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Evidence for prion-like mechanisms in several neurodegenerative diseases: potential implications for immunotherapy

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are fatal, untreatable neurodegenerative diseases. While the impact of TSEs on human health is relatively minor, these diseases are having a major influence on how we view, and potentially treat, other more common neurodegenerative disorders. Until recently, TSEs encapsulated a distinct category of neurodegenerative disorder, exclusive in their defining characteristic of infectivity. It now appears that similar mechanisms of self-propagation may underlie other proteinopathies such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. This link is of scientific interest and potential therapeutic importance as this route of self-propagation offers conceptual support and guidance for vaccine development efforts. Specifically, the existence of a pathological, self-promoting isoform offers a rational vaccine target. Here, we review the evidence of prion-like mechanisms within a number of common neurodegenerative disorders and speculate on potential implications and opportunities for vaccine development.

N-truncated amyloid β (Aβ) 4-42 forms stable aggregates and induces acute and long-lasting behavioral deficits

N-truncated Aβ_4-42 is highly abundant in Alzheimer disease (AD) brain and was the first Aβ peptide discovered in AD plaques. However, a possible role in AD aetiology has largely been neglected. In the present report, we demonstrate that Aβ_4-42 rapidly forms aggregates possessing a high aggregation propensity in terms of monomer consumption and oligomer formation. Short-term treatment of primary cortical neurons indicated that Aβ_4-42 is as toxic as pyroglutamate Aβ_3-42 and Aβ_1-42. In line with these findings, treatment of wildtype mice using intraventricular Aβ injection induced significant working memory deficits with Aβ_4-42, pyroglutamate Aβ_3-42 and Aβ_1-42. Transgenic mice expressing Aβ_4-42 (Tg4-42 transgenic line) developed a massive CA1 pyramidal neuron loss in the hippocampus. The hippocampus-specific expression of Aβ_4-42 correlates well with age-dependent spatial reference memory deficits assessed by the Morris water maze test. Our findings indicate that N-truncated Aβ_4-42 triggers acute and long-lasting behavioral deficits comparable to AD typical memory dysfunction.

Early intraneuronal accumulation and increased aggregation of phosphorylated Abeta in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

The progressive accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques in the brain is a common hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We recently identified a novel species of Aβ phosphorylated at serine residue 8 with increased propensity to form toxic aggregates as compared to non-phosphorylated species. The age-dependent analysis of Aβ depositions using novel monoclonal phosphorylation-state specific antibodies revealed that phosphorylated Aβ variants accumulate first inside of neurons in a mouse model of AD already at 2 month of age. At higher ages, phosphorylated Aβ is also abundantly detected in extracellular plaques. Besides a large overlap in the spatiotemporal deposition of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated Aβ species, fractionized extraction of Aβ from brains revealed an increased accumulation of phosphorylated Aβ in oligomeric assemblies as compared to non-phosphorylated Aβ in vivo. Thus, phosphorylated Aβ could represent an important species in the formation and stabilization of neurotoxic aggregates, and might be targeted for AD therapy and diagnosis.

Extracellular phosphorylation and phosphorylated proteins: not just curiosities but physiologically important

Mining of the literature and high-throughput mass spectrometry data from both healthy and diseased tissues and from body fluids reveals evidence that various extracellular proteins can exist in phosphorylated states. Extracellular kinases and phosphatases (ectokinases and ectophosphatases) are active in extracellular spaces during times of sufficiently high concentrations of adenosine triphosphate. There is evidence for a role of extracellular phosphorylation in various physiological functions, including blood coagulation, immune cell activation, and the formation of neuronal networks. Ectokinase activity is increased in some diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and some microbial infections. We summarize the literature supporting the physiological and pathological roles of extracellularly localized protein kinases, protein phosphatases, and phosphorylated proteins and provide an analysis of the available mass spectrometry data to annotate potential extracellular phosphorylated proteins.

Alzheimer's disease Aβ assemblies mediating rapid disruption of synaptic plasticity and memory

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by episodic memory impairment that often precedes clinical diagnosis by many years. Probing the mechanisms of such impairment may provide much needed means of diagnosis and therapeutic intervention at an early, pre-dementia, stage. Prior to the onset of significant neurodegeneration, the structural and functional integrity of synapses in mnemonic circuitry is severely compromised in the presence of amyloidosis. This review examines recent evidence evaluating the role of amyloid-ß protein (Aβ) in causing rapid disruption of synaptic plasticity and memory impairment. We evaluate the relative importance of different sizes and conformations of Aβ, including monomer, oligomer, protofibril and fibril. We pay particular attention to recent controversies over the relevance to the pathophysiology of AD of different water soluble Aβ aggregates and the importance of cellular prion protein in mediating their effects. Current data are consistent with the view that both low-n oligomers and larger soluble assemblies present in AD brain, some of them via a direct interaction with cellular prion protein, cause synaptic memory failure. At the two extremes of aggregation, monomers and fibrils appear to act in vivo both as sources and sinks of certain metastable conformations of soluble aggregates that powerfully disrupt synaptic plasticity. The same principle appears to apply to other synaptotoxic amyloidogenic proteins including tau, α-synuclein and prion protein.

Protein aggregation: mechanisms and functional consequences

Understanding the mechanisms underlying protein misfolding and aggregation has become a central issue in biology and medicine. Compelling evidence show that the formation of amyloid aggregates has a negative impact in cell function and is behind the most prevalent human degenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases or type 2 diabetes. Surprisingly, the same type of macromolecular assembly is used for specialized functions by different organisms, from bacteria to human. Here we address the conformational properties of these aggregates, their formation pathways, their role in human diseases, their functional properties and how bioinformatics tools might be of help to study these protein assemblies.

The amyloid state of proteins in human diseases

Amyloid fibers and oligomers are associated with a great variety of human diseases including Alzheimer's disease and the prion conditions. Here we attempt to connect recent discoveries on the molecular properties of proteins in the amyloid state with observations about pathological tissues and disease states. We summarize studies of structure and nucleation of amyloid and relate these to observations on amyloid polymorphism, prion strains, coaggregation of pathogenic proteins in tissues, and mechanisms of toxicity and transmissibility. Molecular studies have also led to numerous strategies for biological and chemical interventions against amyloid diseases.

Phosphorylation of amyloid-β peptide at serine 8 attenuates its clearance via insulin-degrading and angiotensin-converting enzymes

Accumulation of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) in the brain is a common pathological feature of Alzheimer disease (AD). Aggregates of Aβ are neurotoxic and appear to be critically involved in the neurodegeneration during AD pathogenesis. Accumulation of Aβ could be caused by increased production, as indicated by several mutations in the amyloid precursor protein or the γ-secretase components presenilin-1 and presenilin-2 that cause familial early-onset AD. However, recent data also indicate a decreased clearance rate of Aβ in AD brains. We recently demonstrated that Aβ undergoes phosphorylation by extracellular or cell surface-localized protein kinase A, leading to increased aggregation. Here, we provide evidence that phosphorylation of monomeric Aβ at Ser-8 also decreases its clearance by microglial cells. By using mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that phosphorylation at Ser-8 inhibited the proteolytic degradation of monomeric Aβ by the insulin-degrading enzyme, a major Aβ-degrading enzyme released from microglial cells. Phosphorylation also decreased the degradation of Aβ by the angiotensin-converting enzyme. In contrast, Aβ degradation by plasmin was largely unaffected by phosphorylation. Thus, phosphorylation of Aβ could play a dual role in Aβ metabolism. It decreases its proteolytic clearance and also promotes its aggregation. The inhibition of extracellular Aβ phosphorylation, stimulation of protease expression and/or their proteolytic activity could be explored to promote Aβ degradation in AD therapy or prevention.

Heat shock transcription factor 1 as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and prion-based neurodegeneration are associated with the accumulation of misfolded proteins, resulting in neuronal dysfunction and cell death. However, current treatments for these diseases predominantly address disease symptoms, rather than the underlying protein misfolding and cell death, and are not able to halt or reverse the degenerative process. Studies in cell culture, fruitfly, worm and mouse models of protein misfolding-based neurodegenerative diseases indicate that enhancing the protein-folding capacity of cells, via elevated expression of chaperone proteins, has therapeutic potential. Here, we review advances in strategies to harness the power of the natural cellular protein-folding machinery through pharmacological activation of heat shock transcription factor 1--the master activator of chaperone protein gene expression--to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Pyroglutamate amyloid-β (Aβ): a hatchet man in Alzheimer disease

Pyroglutamate-modified amyloid-β (Aβ(pE3)) peptides are gaining considerable attention as potential key participants in the pathology of Alzheimer disease (AD) due to their abundance in AD brain, high aggregation propensity, stability, and cellular toxicity. Transgenic mice that produce high levels of Aβ(pE3-42) show severe neuron loss. Recent in vitro and in vivo experiments have proven that the enzyme glutaminyl cyclase catalyzes the formation of Aβ(pE3). In this minireview, we summarize the current knowledge on Aβ(pE3), discussing its discovery, biochemical properties, molecular events determining formation, prevalence in the brains of AD patients, Alzheimer mouse models, and potential as a target for therapy and as a diagnostic marker.

Phosphorylation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides - a trigger for formation of toxic aggregates in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and associated with the progressive accumulation of amyloid β-peptides (Aβ) in form of extracellular amyloid plaques in the human brain. A critical role of Aβ in the pathogenesis of AD is strongly supported by gene mutations that cause early-onset familial forms of the disease. Such mutations have been identified in the APP gene itself and in presenilin 1 and 2. Importantly, all the identified mutations commonly lead to early deposition of extracellular plaques likely by increasing the generation and/or aggregation of Aβ. However, such mutations are very rare and molecular mechanisms that might trigger aggregation and deposition of Aβ, in the most common late onset AD are largely unknown. We recently demonstrated that extracellular Aβ undergoes phosphorylation by a cell surface-localized or secreted form of protein kinase A. The phosphorylation of serine residue 8 promotes aggregation by stabilization of β-sheet conformation of Aβ and increased formation of oligomeric Aβ aggregates that represent nuclei for fibrillization. Phosphorylated Aβ was detected in the brains of transgenic mice and human AD brains and showed increased toxicity in Drosophila models as compared with non-phosphorylated Aβ. Together, these findings demonstrate a novel molecular mechanism that triggers aggregation and toxicity of Aβ. Thus, phosphorylation of Aβ could be relevant in the pathogenesis of late onset AD. The identification of extracellular protein kinase A should also stimulate pharmacological approaches to decrease Aβ phosphorylation in the therapy and/or prevention of AD.