Proteins Implicated In Alzheimer Disease

Fyn Tyrosine Kinase Elicits Amyloid Precursor Protein Tyr682 Phosphorylation in Neurons from Alzheimer's Disease Patients

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder with a few early detection strategies. We previously proposed the amyloid precursor protein (APP) tyrosine 682 (Tyr682) residue as a valuable target for the development of new innovative pharmacologic or diagnostic interventions in AD. Indeed, when APP is phosphorylated at Tyr682, it is forced into acidic neuronal compartments where it is processed to generate neurotoxic amyloid β peptides. Of interest, Fyn tyrosine kinase (TK) interaction with APP Tyr682 residue increases in AD neurons. Here we proved that when Fyn TK was overexpressed it elicited APP Tyr682 phosphorylation in neurons from healthy donors and promoted the amyloidogenic APP processing with Aβ peptides accumulation and neuronal death. Phosphorylation of APP at Tyr (pAPP-Tyr) increased in neurons of AD patients and AD neurons that exhibited high pAPP-Tyr also had higher Fyn TK activity. Fyn TK inhibition abolished the pAPP-Tyr and reduced Aβ42 secretion in AD neurons. In addition, the multidomain adaptor protein Fe65 controlled the Fyn-mediated pAPP-Tyr, warranting the possibility of targeting the Fe65-APP-Fyn pathway to develop innovative strategies in AD. Altogether, these results strongly emphasize the relevance of focusing on pAPP Tyr682 either for diagnostic purposes, as an early biomarker of the disease, or for pharmacological targeting, using Fyn TKI.

Ubiquitylation of Fe65 adaptor protein by neuronal precursor cell expressed developmentally down regulated 4-2 (Nedd4-2) via the WW domain interaction with Fe65

Fe65 has been characterized as an adaptor protein, originally identified as an expressed sequence tag (EST) corresponding to an mRNA expressed at high levels in the rat brain. It contains one WW domain and two phosphotyrosine interaction/phosphotyrosine binding domains (PID1/PID2). As the neuronal precursor cell expressed developmentally down regulated 4-2 (Nedd4-2) has a putative WW domain binding motif ((72)PPLP(75)) in the N-terminal domain, we hypothesized that Fe65 associates with Nedd4-2 through a WW domain interaction, which has the characteristics of E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. In this paper, we present evidence for the interaction between Fe65 WW domain and Nedd4-2 through its specific motif, using a pull down approach and co-immunoprecipitation. Additionally, the co-localization of Fe65 and Nedd4-2 were observed via confocal microscopy. Co-localization of Fe65 and Nedd4-2 was disrupted by either the mutation of Fe65 WW domain or its putative binding motif of Nedd4-2. When the ubiquitin assay was performed, the interaction of Nedd4-2 (wt) with Fe65 is required for the cell apoptosis and the ubiquitylation of Fe65. We also observed that the ubiquitylation of Fe65 (wt) was augmented depending on Nedd4-2 expression levels, whereas the Fe65 WW domain mutant (W243KP245K) or the Nedd4-2 AL mutant ((72)PPLP(75) was changed to (72)APLA(75)) was under-ubiquitinated significantly. Thus, our observations implicated that the protein-protein interaction between the WW domain of Fe65 and the putative binding motif of Nedd4-2 down-regulates Fe65 protein stability and subcellular localization through its ubiquitylation, to contribute cell apoptosis.

The Yin and Yang of YY1 in the nervous system

The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a multifunctional protein that can activate or repress gene expression depending on the cellular context. YY1 is ubiquitously expressed and highly conserved between species. However, its role varies in diverse cell types and includes proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. This review will focus on the function of YY1 in the nervous system including its role in neural development, neuronal function, developmental myelination, and neurological disease. The multiple functions of YY1 in distinct cell types are reviewed and the possible mechanisms underlying the cell specificity for these functions are discussed.

Human NIMA-related kinase 6 is one of the Fe65 WW domain binding proteins

The Aspergillus nidulans protein NIMA (never in mitosis, gene A) is a protein kinase required for initiation of mitosis, whereas its inactivation is necessary for mitotic exit. Here, we present evidence that human Nek6 is associated with Fe65. Based on the presence of Fe65 WW domain binding motifs ((267)PPLP(270)) in the Nek6 catalytic domain, we observed that Nek6 interacts physically with Fe65 both in vivo and in vitro, using a pull-down approach. Additionally, we detected co-localization of Nek6 and Fe65 via confocal microscopy. Co-localization of Nek6 and Fe65 was disrupted by mutation of the WW domain binding motifs ((267)PPLP(270)). Finally, when transient transfection assays were performed, interaction of Nek6 (wt) with Fe65 induced substantial cell apoptosis, whereas interaction using the Nek6 pplp mutant ((267)PPLP(270) changes (267)APVA(270)) did not. Thus, our observations indicated that Nek6 binds to Fe65 through its (267)PPLP(270) motif and that the protein-protein interaction between Nek6 and Fe65 regulates their subcellular localization and cell apoptosis.

Misregulation of tau alternative splicing in neurodegeneration and dementia

Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that fulfills several functions critical for neuronal formation and health. Tau discharges its functions by producing multiple isoforms via intricately regulated alternative splicing. These isoforms modulate tau function in normal brain by altering the domains of the protein, thereby influencing its conformation and post-translational modifications and hence its affinity for microtubules and other ligands. Disturbances in tau expression result in disruption of the neuronal cytoskeleton and formation of pathological tau structures (neurofibrillary tangles) found in brains of dementia sufferers. More specifically, aberrations in tau splicing regulation directly cause several neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. This review briefly presents our cumulative knowledge of tau splicing regulation in connection with the alterations in tau splicing seen in neurodegeneration.

Biological roles of APP in the epidermis

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) was initially detected in cells of the central nervous system where it is considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. However, APP is also found in peripheral organs with exceptionally strong expression in the mammalian epidermis where it fulfils a variety of distinct biological roles. Full length APP appears to facilitate keratinocyte adhesion due to its ability to interact with the extracellular matrix. The C-terminus of APP also serves as adapter protein for binding the motor protein kinesin thereby mediating the centripetal transport of melanosomes in epidermal melanocytes. By the action of alpha-secretase sAPPalpha, the soluble N-terminal portion of APP, is released. sAPPalpha has been shown to be a potent epidermal growth factor thus stimulating proliferation and migration of keratinocytes as well as the exocytic release of melanin by melanocytes. The release of sAPPalpha can be almost completely blocked by inhibiting alpha-secretase with hydroxamic acid-based zinc metalloproteinase inhibitors. In hyperproliferative keratinocytes from psoriatic skin this inhibition results in normalized growth.

Real-time PCR quantitation of FE65 a beta-amyloid precursor protein-binding protein after traumatic brain injury in rats

In cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in which the patient survived for only a short period of time and was without macroscopic changes at autopsy, it is difficult to diagnose TBI. To detect early diagnostic markers of diffuse axonal injury (DAI), real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in an experimental head trauma model of rat was chosen. The beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta-APP) is a well-known diagnostic marker of DAI which can be detected by immunolabeling as early as 1.5 h after injury. beta-APP has a binding protein, FE65, which is expressed in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients along with beta-APP, but no involvement with brain injury has been reported. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is also a useful marker of DAI. We found that FE65 expression increased dramatically as early as 30 min after injury and decreased after peaking 1 h post-injury, although NSE showed no significant changes. These results suggest that real-time PCR of FE65 mRNA is useful for the diagnosis of DAI in forensic cases.

The Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP) and FE65, an APP-binding protein, regulate cell movement

FE65 binds to the Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP), but the function of this interaction has not been identified. Here, we report that APP and FE65 are involved in regulation of cell movement. APP and FE65 colocalize with actin and Mena, an Abl-associated signaling protein thought to regulate actin dynamics, in lamellipodia. APP and FE65 specifically concentrate with beta 1-integrin in dynamic adhesion sites known as focal complexes, but not in more static adhesion sites known as focal adhesions. Overexpression of APP accelerates cell migration in an MDCK cell wound--healing assay. Coexpression of APP and FE65 dramatically enhances the effect of APP on cell movement, probably by regulating the amount of APP at the cell surface. These data are consistent with a role for FE65 and APP, possibly in a Mena-containing macromolecular complex, in regulation of actin-based motility.

Proteolytic processing and cell biological functions of the amyloid precursor protein

Recent research has identified some key players involved in the proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) to amyloid beta-peptide, the principal component of the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer patients. Interesting parallels exists with the proteolysis of other proteins involved in cell differentiation, cholesterol homeostasis and stress responses. Since the cytoplasmic domain of APP is anchored to a complex protein network that might function in axonal elongation, dendritic arborisation and neuronal cell migration, the proteolysis of APP might be critically involved in intracellular signalling events.