The amyloid precursor protein interacts with Go heterotrimeric protein within a cell compartment specialized in signal transduction

Aβ Assemblies Promote Amyloidogenic Processing of APP and Intracellular Accumulation of Aβ42 Through Go/Gβγ Signaling

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the deposition of aggregated species of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain, which leads to progressive cognitive deficits and dementia. Aβ is generated by the successive cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), first by β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and subsequently by the γ-secretase complex. Those conditions which enhace or reduce its clearance predispose to Aβ aggregation and the development of AD. In vitro studies have demonstrated that Aβ assemblies spark a feed-forward loop heightening Aβ production. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we show that oligomers and fibrils of Aβ enhance colocalization and physical interaction of APP and BACE1 in recycling endosomes of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and other cell types, which leads to exacerbated amyloidogenic processing of APP and intracellular accumulation of Aβ42. In cells that are overexpressing the mutant forms of APP which are unable to bind Aβ or to activate Go protein, we have found that treatment with aggregated Aβ fails to increase colocalization of APP with BACE1 indicating that Aβ-APP/Go signaling is involved in this process. Moreover, inhibition of Gβγ subunit signaling with βARKct or gallein prevents Aβ-dependent interaction of APP and BACE1 in endosomes, β-processing of APP, and intracellular accumulation of Aβ42. Collectively, our findings uncover a signaling mechanism leading to a feed-forward loop of amyloidogenesis that might contribute to Aβ pathology in the early stages of AD and suggest that gallein could have therapeutic potential.

Gangliosides in Membrane Organization

Since the structure of GM1 was elucidated 55years ago, researchers have been attracted by the sialylated glycans of gangliosides. Gangliosides head groups, protruding toward the extracellular space, significantly contribute to the cell glycocalyx; and in certain cells, such as neurons, are major determinants of the features of the cell surface. Expression of glycosyltransferases involved in the de novo biosynthesis of gangliosides is tightly regulated along cell differentiation and activation, and is regarded as the main metabolic mechanism responsible for the acquisition of cell-specific ganglioside patterns. The resulting sialooligosaccharides are characterized by a high degree of geometrical complexity and by highly dynamic properties, which seem to be functional for complex interactions with other molecules sitting on the same cellular membrane (cis-interactions) or soluble molecules present in the extracellular environment, or molecules associated with the surface of other cells (trans-interactions). There is no doubt that the multifaceted biological functions of gangliosides are largely dependent on oligosaccharide-mediated molecular interactions. However, gangliosides are amphipathic membrane lipids, and their chemicophysical, aggregational, and, consequently, biological properties are dictated by the properties of the monomers as a whole, which are not merely dependent on the structures of their polar head groups. In this chapter, we would like to focus on the peculiar chemicophysical features of gangliosides (in particular, those of the nervous system), that represent an important driving force determining the organization and properties of cellular membranes, and to emphasize the causal connections between altered ganglioside-dependent membrane organization and relevant pathological conditions.

Soluble Amyloid Precursor Protein Alpha Interacts with alpha3-Na, K-ATPAse to Induce Axonal Outgrowth but Not Neuroprotection: Evidence for Distinct Mechanisms Underlying these Properties

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved not only to generate the amyloid peptide (Aß), involved in neurodegenerative processes, but can also be metabolized by alpha secretase to produce and release soluble N-terminal APP (sAPPα), which has many properties including the induction of axonal elongation and neuroprotection. The mechanisms underlying the properties of sAPPα are not known. Here, we used proteomic analysis of mouse cortico-hippocampal membranes to identify the neuronal specific alpha3 (α3)-subunit of the plasma membrane enzyme Na, K-ATPase (NKA) as a new binding partner of sAPPα. We showed that sAPPα recruits very rapidly clusters of α3-NKA at neuronal surface, and its binding triggers a cascade of events promoting sAPPα-induced axonal outgrowth. The binding of sAPPα with α3-NKA was not observed for sAPPα-induced Aß1-42 oligomers neuroprotection, neither the downstream events particularly the interaction of sAPPα with APP before endocytosis, ERK signaling, and the translocation of SET from the nucleus to the plasma membrane. These data suggest that the mechanisms of the axonal growth promoting and neuroprotective properties of sAPPα appear to be specific and independent. The signals at the cell surface specific to trigger these mechanisms require further study.

The physiological role of the amyloid precursor protein as an adhesion molecule in the developing nervous system

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein better known for its participation in the physiopathology of Alzheimer disease as the source of the beta amyloid fragment. However, the physiological functions of the full length protein and its proteolytic fragments have remained elusive. APP was first described as a cell-surface receptor; nevertheless, increasing evidence highlighted APP as a cell adhesion molecule. In this review, we will focus on the current knowledge of the physiological role of APP as a cell adhesion molecule and its involvement in key events of neuronal development, such as migration, neurite outgrowth, growth cone pathfinding, and synaptogenesis. Finally, since APP is over-expressed in Down syndrome individuals because of the extra copy of chromosome 21, in the last section of the review, we discuss the potential contribution of APP to the neuronal and synaptic defects described in this genetic condition. Read the Editorial Highlight for this article on page 9. Cover Image for this issue: doi. 10.1111/jnc.13817.

Amyloid Precursor Protein family as unconventional Go-coupled receptors and the control of neuronal motility

Cleavage of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) generates amyloid peptides that accumulate in Alzheimer Disease (AD), but APP is also upregulated by developing and injured neurons, suggesting that it regulates neuronal motility. APP can also function as a G protein-coupled receptor that signals via the heterotrimeric G protein Gαo, but evidence for APP-Gαo signaling in vivo has been lacking. Using Manduca as a model system, we showed that insect APP (APPL) regulates neuronal migration in a Gαo-dependent manner. Recently, we also demonstrated that Manduca Contactin (expressed by glial cells) induces APPL-Gαo retraction responses in migratory neurons, consistent with evidence that mammalian Contactins also interact with APP family members. Preliminary studies using cultured hippocampal neurons suggest that APP-Gαo signaling can similarly regulate growth cone motility. Whether Contactins (or other APP ligands) induce this response within the developing nervous system, and how this pathway is disrupted in AD, remains to be explored.

Role of APP Interactions with Heterotrimeric G Proteins: Physiological Functions and Pathological Consequences

Following the discovery that the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the source of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) that accumulate in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), structural analyses suggested that the holoprotein resembles a transmembrane receptor. Initial studies using reconstituted membranes demonstrated that APP can directly interact with the heterotrimeric G protein Gαo (but not other G proteins) via an evolutionarily G protein-binding motif in its cytoplasmic domain. Subsequent investigations in cell culture showed that antibodies against the extracellular domain of APP could stimulate Gαo activity, presumably mimicking endogenous APP ligands. In addition, chronically activating wild type APP or overexpressing mutant APP isoforms linked with familial AD could provoke Go-dependent neurotoxic responses, while biochemical assays using human brain samples suggested that the endogenous APP-Go interactions are perturbed in AD patients. More recently, several G protein-dependent pathways have been implicated in the physiological roles of APP, coupled with evidence that APP interacts both physically and functionally with Gαo in a variety of contexts. Work in insect models has demonstrated that the APP ortholog APPL directly interacts with Gαo in motile neurons, whereby APPL-Gαo signaling regulates the response of migratory neurons to ligands encountered in the developing nervous system. Concurrent studies using cultured mammalian neurons and organotypic hippocampal slice preparations have shown that APP signaling transduces the neuroprotective effects of soluble sAPPα fragments via modulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, providing a mechanism for integrating the stress and survival responses regulated by APP. Notably, this effect was also inhibited by pertussis toxin, indicating an essential role for Gαo/i proteins. Unexpectedly, C-terminal fragments (CTFs) derived from APP have also been found to interact with Gαs, whereby CTF-Gαs signaling can promote neurite outgrowth via adenylyl cyclase/PKA-dependent pathways. These reports offer the intriguing perspective that G protein switching might modulate APP-dependent responses in a context-dependent manner. In this review, we provide an up-to-date perspective on the model that APP plays a variety of roles as an atypical G protein-coupled receptor in both the developing and adult nervous system, and we discuss the hypothesis that disruption of these normal functions might contribute to the progressive neuropathologies that typify AD.

Amyloid precursor protein modulates Nav1.6 sodium channel currents through a Go-coupled JNK pathway

Amyloid precursor protein (APP), commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease, also marks axonal degeneration. In the recent studies, we demonstrated that APP aggregated at nodes of Ranvier (NORs) in myelinated central nervous system (CNS) axons and interacted with Nav1.6. However, the physiological function of APP remains unknown. In this study, we described reduced sodium current densities in APP knockout hippocampal neurons. Coexpression of APP or its intracellular domains containing a VTPEER motif with Na_v1.6 sodium channels in Xenopus oocytes resulted in an increase in peak sodium currents, which was enhanced by constitutively active Go mutant and blocked by a dominant negative mutant. JNK and CDK5 inhibitor attenuated increases in Nav1.6 sodium currents induced by overexpression of APP. Nav1.6 sodium currents were increased by APPT668E (mutant Thr to Glu) and decreased by T668A (mutant Thr to ALa) mutant, respectively. The cell surface expression of Nav1.6 sodium channels in the white matter of spinal cord and the spinal conduction velocity is decreased in APP, p35 and JNK3 knockout mice. Therefore, APP modulates Nav1.6 sodium channels through a Go-coupled JNK pathway, which is dependent on phosphorylation of APP at Thr668.

Amyloid Precursor Proteins Are Dynamically Trafficked and Processed during Neuronal Development

Proteolytic processing of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) produces beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptide fragments that accumulate in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), but APP may also regulate multiple aspects of neuronal development, albeit via mechanisms that are not well understood. APP is a member of a family of transmembrane glycoproteins expressed by all higher organisms, including two mammalian orthologs (APLP1 and APLP2) that have complicated investigations into the specific activities of APP. By comparison, insects express only a single APP-related protein (APP-Like, or APPL) that contains the same protein interaction domains identified in APP. However, unlike its mammalian orthologs, APPL is only expressed by neurons, greatly simplifying an analysis of its functions in vivo. Like APP, APPL is processed by secretases to generate a similar array of extracellular and intracellular cleavage fragments, as well as an Aβ-like fragment that can induce neurotoxic responses in the brain. Exploiting the complementary advantages of two insect models (Drosophila melanogaster and Manduca sexta), we have investigated the regulation of APPL trafficking and processing with respect to different aspects of neuronal development. By comparing the behavior of endogenously expressed APPL with fluorescently tagged versions of APPL and APP, we have shown that some full-length protein is consistently trafficked into the most motile regions of developing neurons both in vitro and in vivo. Concurrently, much of the holoprotein is rapidly processed into N- and C-terminal fragments that undergo bi-directional transport within distinct vesicle populations. Unexpectedly, we also discovered that APPL can be transiently sequestered into an amphisome-like compartment in developing neurons, while manipulations targeting APPL cleavage altered their motile behavior in cultured embryos. These data suggest that multiple mechanisms restrict the bioavailability of the holoprotein to regulate APPL-dependent responses within the nervous system. Lastly, targeted expression of our double-tagged constructs (combined with time-lapse imaging) revealed that APP family proteins are subject to complex patterns of trafficking and processing that vary dramatically between different neuronal subtypes. In combination, our results provide a new perspective on how the regulation of APP family proteins can be modulated to accommodate a variety of cell type-specific responses within the embryonic and adult nervous system.

APP Receptor? To Be or Not To Be

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its metabolites play a key role in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. The idea that APP may function as a receptor has gained momentum based on its structural similarities to type I transmembrane receptors and the identification of putative APP ligands. We review the recent experimental evidence in support of this notion and discuss how this concept is viewed in the field. Specifically, we focus on the structural and functional characteristics of APP as a cell surface receptor, and on its interaction with adaptors and signaling proteins. We also address the importance of APP function as a receptor in Alzheimer's disease etiology and discuss how this function might be potentially important for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

Amyloid precursor protein enhances Nav1.6 sodium channel cell surface expression

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is commonly associated with Alzheimer disease, but its physiological function remains unknown. Nav1.6 is a key determinant of neuronal excitability in vivo. Because mouse models of gain of function and loss of function of APP and Nav1.6 share some similar phenotypes, we hypothesized that APP might be a candidate molecule for sodium channel modulation. Here we report that APP colocalized and interacted with Nav1.6 in mouse cortical neurons. Knocking down APP decreased Nav1.6 sodium channel currents and cell surface expression. APP-induced increases in Nav1.6 cell surface expression were Go protein-dependent, enhanced by a constitutively active Go protein mutant, and blocked by a dominant negative Go protein mutant. APP also regulated JNK activity in a Go protein-dependent manner. JNK inhibition attenuated increases in cell surface expression of Nav1.6 sodium channels induced by overexpression of APP. JNK, in turn, phosphorylated APP. Nav1.6 sodium channel surface expression was increased by T668E and decreased by T668A, mutations of APP695 mimicking and preventing Thr-668 phosphorylation, respectively. Phosphorylation of APP695 at Thr-668 enhanced its interaction with Nav1.6. Therefore, we show that APP enhances Nav1.6 sodium channel cell surface expression through a Go-coupled JNK pathway.

PAT1 inversely regulates the surface Amyloid Precursor Protein level in mouse primary neurons

Background

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a key molecule in Alzheimer disease. Its localization at the cell surface can trigger downstream signaling and APP cleavages. APP trafficking to the cell surface in neurons is not clearly understood and may be related to the interactions with its partners. In this respect, by having homologies with kinesin light chain domains and because of its capacity to bind APP, PAT1 represents a good candidate.

Results

We observed that PAT1 binds poorly APP at the cell surface of primary cortical neurons contrary to cytoplasmic APP. Using down and up-regulation of PAT1, we observed respectively an increase and decrease of APP at the cell surface. The increase of APP at the cell surface induced by low levels of PAT1 did not trigger cell death signaling.

Conclusions

These data suggest that PAT1 slows down APP trafficking to the cell surface in primary cortical neurons. Our results contribute to the elucidation of mechanisms involved in APP trafficking in Alzheimer disease.

Amyloid precursor protein interaction network in human testis: sentinel proteins for male reproduction

BACKGROUND

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is widely recognized for playing a central role in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. Although APP is expressed in several tissues outside the human central nervous system, the functions of APP and its family members in other tissues are still poorly understood. APP is involved in several biological functions which might be potentially important for male fertility, such as cell adhesion, cell motility, signaling, and apoptosis. Furthermore, APP superfamily members are known to be associated with fertility. Knowledge on the protein networks of APP in human testis and spermatozoa will shed light on the function of APP in the male reproductive system.

RESULTS

We performed a Yeast Two-Hybrid screen and a database search to study the interaction network of APP in human testis and sperm. To gain insights into the role of APP superfamily members in fertility, the study was extended to APP-like protein 2 (APLP2). We analyzed several topological properties of the APP interaction network and the biological and physiological properties of the proteins in the APP interaction network were also specified by gene ontologyand pathways analyses. We classified significant features related to the human male reproduction for the APP interacting proteins and identified modules of proteins with similar functional roles which may show cooperative behavior for male fertility.

CONCLUSIONS

The present work provides the first report on the APP interactome in human testis. Our approach allowed the identification of novel interactions and recognition of key APP interacting proteins for male reproduction, particularly in sperm-oocyte interaction.

Citrulline diet supplementation improves specific age-related raft changes in wild-type rodent hippocampus

The levels of molecules crucial for signal transduction processing change in the brain with aging. Lipid rafts are membrane microdomains involved in cell signaling. We describe here substantial biophysical and biochemical changes occurring within the rafts in hippocampus neurons from aging wild-type rats and mice. Using continuous sucrose density gradients, we observed light-, medium-, and heavy raft subpopulations in young adult rodent hippocampus neurons containing very low levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and almost no caveolin-1 (CAV-1). By contrast, old rodents had a homogeneous age-specific high-density caveolar raft subpopulation containing significantly more cholesterol (CHOL), CAV-1, and APP. C99-APP-Cter fragment detection demonstrates that the first step of amyloidogenic APP processing takes place in this caveolar structure during physiological aging of the rat brain. In this age-specific caveolar raft subpopulation, levels of the C99-APP-Cter fragment are exponentially correlated with those of APP, suggesting that high APP concentrations may be associated with a risk of large increases in beta-amyloid peptide levels. Citrulline (an intermediate amino acid of the urea cycle) supplementation in the diet of aged rats for 3 months reduced these age-related hippocampus raft changes, resulting in raft patterns tightly close to those in young animals: CHOL, CAV-1, and APP concentrations were significantly lower and the C99-APP-Cter fragment was less abundant in the heavy raft subpopulation than in controls. Thus, we report substantial changes in raft structures during the aging of rodent hippocampus and describe new and promising areas of investigation concerning the possible protective effect of citrulline on brain function during aging.

Amyloid β precursor protein as a molecular target for amyloid β--induced neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease

A role of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide aggregation and deposition in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis is widely accepted. Significantly, abnormalities induced by aggregated Aβ have been linked to synaptic and neuritic degeneration, consistent with the "dying-back" pattern of degeneration that characterizes neurons affected in AD. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the toxic effect of aggregated Aβ remain elusive. In the last 2 decades, a variety of aggregated Aβ species have been identified and their toxic properties demonstrated in diverse experimental systems. Concurrently, specific Aβ assemblies have been shown to interact and misregulate a growing number of molecular effectors with diverse physiological functions. Such pleiotropic effects of aggregated Aβ posit a mayor challenge for the identification of the most cardinal Aβ effectors relevant to AD pathology. In this review, we discuss recent experimental evidence implicating amyloid β precursor protein (APP) as a molecular target for toxic Aβ assemblies. Based on a significant body of pathologic observations and experimental evidence, we propose a novel pathologic feed-forward mechanism linking Aβ aggregation to abnormalities in APP processing and function, which in turn would trigger the progressive loss of neuronal connectivity observed early in AD.

The amyloid precursor protein: a biochemical enigma in brain development, function and disease

For 20 years the amyloid cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) has placed the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), formed from the amyloid precursor protein (APP), centre stage in the process of neurodegeneration. However, no new therapeutic agents have reached the clinic through exploitation of the hypothesis. The APP metabolites, including Aβ, generated by its proteolytic processing, have distinct physiological functions. In particular, the cleaved intracellular domain of APP (AICD) regulates expression of several genes, including APP itself, the β-secretase BACE-1 and the Aβ-degrading enzyme, neprilysin and this transcriptional regulation involves direct promoter binding of AICD. Of the three major splice isoforms of APP (APP695, APP751, APP770), APP695 is the predominant neuronal form, from which Aβ and transcriptionally-active AICD are preferentially generated by selective processing through the amyloidogenic pathway. Despite intensive research, the normal functions of the APP isoforms remain an enigma. APP plays an important role in brain development, memory and synaptic plasticity and secreted forms of APP are neuroprotective. A fuller understanding of the physiological and pathological actions of APP and its metabolic and gene regulatory network could provide new therapeutic opportunities in neurodegeneration, including AD.

Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease: role of amyloid precursor protein and presenilin 1 intracellular signaling

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder characterized by (1) progressive loss of synapses and neurons, (2) intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, composed of hyperphosphorylated Tau protein, and (3) amyloid plaques. Genetically, AD is linked to mutations in few proteins amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 and 2 (PS1 and PS2). The molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in AD as well as the physiological function of APP are not yet known. A recent theory has proposed that APP and PS1 modulate intracellular signals to induce cell-cycle abnormalities responsible for neuronal death and possibly amyloid deposition. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of a complex network of proteins, clearly involved in the regulation of signal transduction mechanisms that interact with both APP and PS1. In this review we discuss the significance of novel finding related to cell-signaling events modulated by APP and PS1 in the development of neurodegeneration.

Phosphorylation of APP-CTF-AICD domains and interaction with adaptor proteins: signal transduction and/or transcriptional role--relevance for Alzheimer pathology

In recent decades, the study of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and of its proteolytic products carboxy terminal fragment (CTF), APP intracellular C-terminal domain (AICD) and amyloid beta has been mostly focussed on the role of APP as a producer of the toxic amyloid beta peptide. Here, we reconsider the role of APP suggesting, in a provocative way, the protein as a central player in a putative signalling pathway. We highlight the presence in the cytosolic tail of APP of the YENPTY motif which is typical of tyrosine kinase receptors, the phosphorylation of the tyrosine, serine and threonine residues, the kinases involved and the interaction with intracellular adaptor proteins. In particular, we examine the interaction with Shc and Grb2 regulators, which through the activation of Ras proteins elicit downstream signalling events such as the MAPK pathway. The review also addresses the interaction of APP, CTFs and AICD with other adaptor proteins and in particular with Fe65 for nuclear transcriptional activity and the importance of phosphorylation for sorting the secretases involved in the amyloidogenic or non-amyloidogenic pathways. We provide a novel perspective on Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, focussing on the perturbation of the physiological activities of APP-CTFs and AICD as an alternative perspective from that which normally focuses on the accumulation of neurotoxic proteolytic fragments.

Deregulated sphingolipid metabolism and membrane organization in neurodegenerative disorders

Sphingolipids are polar membrane lipids present as minor components in eukaryotic cell membranes. Sphingolipids are highly enriched in nervous cells, where they exert important biological functions. They deeply affect the structural and geometrical properties and the lateral order of cellular membranes, modulate the function of several membrane-associated proteins, and give rise to important intra- and extracellular lipid mediators. Sphingolipid metabolism is regulated along the differentiation and development of the nervous system, and the expression of a peculiar spatially and temporarily regulated sphingolipid pattern is essential for the maintenance of the functional integrity of the nervous system: sphingolipids in the nervous system participate to several signaling pathways controlling neuronal survival, migration, and differentiation, responsiveness to trophic factors, synaptic stability and synaptic transmission, and neuron-glia interactions, including the formation and stability of central and peripheral myelin. In several neurodegenerative diseases, sphingolipid metabolism is deeply deregulated, leading to the expression of abnormal sphingolipid patterns and altered membrane organization that participate to several events related to the pathogenesis of these diseases. The most impressive consequence of this deregulation is represented by anomalous sphingolipid-protein interactions that are at least, in part, responsible for the misfolding events that cause the fibrillogenic and amyloidogenic processing of disease-specific protein isoforms, such as amyloid beta peptide in Alzheimer's disease, huntingtin in Huntington's disease, alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease, and prions in transmissible encephalopathies. Targeting sphingolipid metabolism represents today an underexploited but realistic opportunity to design novel therapeutic strategies for the intervention in these diseases.

Interactions between the amyloid precursor protein C-terminal domain and G proteins mediate calcium dysregulation and amyloid beta toxicity in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by neuropathological accumulations of amyloid beta(1-42) [A beta(1-42)], a cleavage product of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Recent studies have highlighted the role of APP in A beta-mediated toxicity and have implicated the G-protein system; however, the exact mechanisms underlying this pathway are as yet undetermined. In this context, we sought to investigate the role of calcium upregulation following APP-dependent, A beta-mediated G-protein activation. Initial studies on the interaction between APP, A beta and Go proteins demonstrated that the interaction between APP, specifically its C-terminal -YENPTY- region, and Go was reduced in the presence of A beta. Cell death and calcium influx in A beta-treated cells were shown to be APP dependent and to involve G-protein activation because these effects were blocked by use of the G-protein inhibitor, pertussis toxin. Collectively, these results highlight a role for the G-protein system in APP-dependent, A beta-induced toxicity and calcium dysregulation. Analysis of the APP:Go interaction in human brain samples from Alzheimer's disease patients at different stages of the disease revealed a decrease in the interaction, correlating with disease progression. Moreover, the reduced interaction between APP and Go was shown to correlate with an increase in membrane A beta levels and G-protein activity, showing for first time that the APP:Go interaction is present in humans and is responsive to A beta load. The results presented support a role for APP in A beta-induced G-protein activation and suggest a mechanism by which basal APP binding to Go is reduced under pathological loads of A beta, liberating Go and activating the G-protein system, which may in turn result in downstream effects including calcium dysregulation. These results also suggest that specific antagonists of G-protein activity may have a therapeutic relevance in Alzheimer's disease.

Subcellular localization and dimerization of APLP1 are strikingly different from APP and APLP2

The molecular association between APP and its mammalian homologs has hardly been explored. In systematically addressing this issue, we show by live cell imaging that APLP1 mainly localizes to the cell surface, whereas APP and APLP2 are mostly found in intracellular compartments. Homo- and heterotypic cis interactions of APP family members could be detected by FRET and co-immunoprecipitation analysis and occur in a modular mode. Only APLP1 formed trans interactions, supporting the argument for a putative specific role of APLP1 in cell adhesion. Deletion mutants of APP family members revealed two highly conserved regions as important for the protein crosstalk. In particular, the N-terminal half of the ectodomain was crucial for APP and APLP2 interactions. By contrast, multimerization of APLP1 was only partially dependent on this domain but strongly on the C-terminal half of the ectodomain. We further observed that coexpression of APP with APLP1 or APLP2 leads to diminished generation of Abeta42. The current data suggest that this is due to the formation of heteromeric complexes, opening the way for novel therapeutic strategies targeting these complexes.

Amyloid-beta precursor protein mediates neuronal toxicity of amyloid beta through Go protein activation

Amyloid beta (Abeta) is a metabolic product of amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP). Deposition of Abeta in the brain and neuronal degeneration are characteristic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Abeta induces neuronal degeneration, but the mechanism of neurotoxicity remains elusive. Here we show that overexpression of APP renders hippocampal neurons vulnerable to Abeta toxicity. Deletion of the extracellular Abeta sequence of APP prevents binding of APP to Abeta, and abolishes toxicity. Abeta toxicity is also abrogated by deletion of the cytoplasmic domain of APP, or by deletions comprising the Go protein-binding sequence of APP. Treatment with Pertussis toxin (PTX) abrogates APP-dependent toxicity of Abeta. Overexpression of PTX-insensitive Galpha-o subunit, but not Galpha-i subunit, of G protein restores Abeta toxicity in the presence of PTX, and this requires the integrity of APP-binding site for Go protein. Altogether, these experiments indicate that interaction of APP with toxic Abeta-species promotes toxicity in hippocampal neurons by a mechanism that involves APP-mediated Go protein activation, revealing an Abeta-receptor-like function of APP directly implicated in neuronal degeneration in AD.

Copper binding to the Alzheimer's disease amyloid precursor protein

Alzheimer’s disease is the fourth biggest killer in developed countries. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a central role in the development of the disease, through the generation of a peptide called Aβ by proteolysis of the precursor protein. APP can function as a metalloprotein and modulate copper transport via its extracellular copper binding domain (CuBD). Copper binding to this domain has been shown to reduce Aβ levels and hence a molecular understanding of the interaction between metal and protein could lead to the development of novel therapeutics to treat the disease. We have recently determined the three-dimensional structures of apo and copper bound forms of CuBD. The structures provide a mechanism by which CuBD could readily transfer copper ions to other proteins. Importantly, the lack of significant conformational changes to CuBD on copper binding suggests a model in which copper binding affects the dimerisation state of APP leading to reduction in Aβ production. We thus predict that disruption of APP dimers may be a novel therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

How to innervate a simple gut: familiar themes and unique aspects in the formation of the insect enteric nervous system

Like the vertebrate enteric nervous system (ENS), the insect ENS consists of interconnected ganglia and nerve plexuses that control gut motility. However, the insect ENS lies superficially on the gut musculature, and its component cells can be individually imaged and manipulated within cultured embryos. Enteric neurons and glial precursors arise via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions that resemble the generation of neural crest cells and sensory placodes in vertebrates; most cells then migrate extensive distances before differentiating. A balance of proneural and neurogenic genes regulates the morphogenetic programs that produce distinct structures within the insect ENS. In vivo studies have also begun to decipher the mechanisms by which enteric neurons integrate multiple guidance cues to select their pathways. Despite important differences between the ENS of vertebrates and invertebrates, common features in their programs of neurogenesis, migration, and differentiation suggest that these relatively simple preparations may provide insights into similar developmental processes in more complex systems.

Amyloid precursor protein and presenilin involvement in cell signaling

To date the most relevant role for the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and for the presenilins (PSs) on Alzheimer's disease (AD) genesis is linked to the 'amyloid hypothesis', which considers an aberrant formation of amyloid-beta peptides the cause of neurodegeneration. In this view, APP is merely a substrate, cleaved by the gamma-secretase complex to form toxic amyloid peptides, PSs are key players in gamma-secretase complex, and corollary or secondary events are Tau-linked pathology and gliosis. A second theory, complementary to the amyloid hypothesis, proposes that APP and PSs may modulate a yet unclear cell signal, the disruption of which may induce cell-cycle abnormalities, neuronal death, eventually amyloid formation and finally dementia. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of a complex network of proteins, with a clear relevance for signal transduction mechanisms, which interact with APP or PSs. In this scenario, the C-terminal domain of APP has a pivotal role due to the presence of the 682YENPTY687 motif that represents the docking site for multiple interacting proteins involved in cell signaling. In this review we discuss the significance of novel findings related to cell signaling events modulated by APP and PSs for AD development.

Structure and functions of the human amyloid precursor protein: the whole is more than the sum of its parts

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a transmembrane protein that plays major roles in the regulation of several important cellular functions, especially in the nervous system, where it is involved in synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity. The secreted extracellular domain of APP, sAPPalpha, acts as a growth factor for many types of cells and promotes neuritogenesis in post-mitotic neurons. Alternative proteolytic processing of APP releases potentially neurotoxic species, including the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide that is centrally implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Reinforcing this biochemical link to neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration, APP is also genetically linked to AD. In this review, we discuss the biological functions of APP in the context of tissue morphogenesis and restructuring, where APP appears to play significant roles both as a contact receptor and as a diffusible factor. Structural investigation of APP, which is necessary for a deeper understanding of its roles at a molecular level, has also been advancing rapidly. We summarize recent progress in the determination of the structure of isolated APP fragments and of the conformations of full-length sAPPalpha, in both monomeric and dimeric states. The potential role of APP dimerization for the regulation of its biological functions is also discussed.

Amyloid precursor protein cytoplasmic domain antagonizes reelin neurite outgrowth inhibition of hippocampal neurons

The function of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), a key molecule in Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unknown. Among the proteins that interact with the APP cytoplasmic domain in vitro and in heterologous systems is Disabled-1, a signaling molecule of the reelin pathway. The physiological consequence of this interaction is unknown. Here we used an in vitro model of hippocampal neurons grown on a reelin substrate that inhibits neurite outgrowth. Our results show that an excess of APP cytoplasmic domain internalized by a cell permeable peptide, is able to antagonize the neurite outgrowth inhibition of reelin. The APP cytoplasmic domain binds Disabled-1 and retains it in the cytoplasm, preventing it from reaching the plasma membrane and sequesters tyrosine phosphorylated Disabled-1, both of which disrupt reelin signaling. In the context of AD, increased formation of APP cytoplasmic domain in the cytosol released after cleavage of the A beta peptide, could then inhibit reelin signaling pathway in the hippocampus and thus influence synaptic plasticity.

The cytosolic domain of APP induces the relocalization of dynamin 3 in hippocampal neurons

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) has been the subject of intense research to uncover its implication in Alzheimer's disease. Its physiological function is, however, still poorly understood. Herein, we investigated its possible influence on the development of cultured hippocampal neurons. A peptide corresponding to the APP intracellular domain linked to a cell-penetrating peptide was used to alter the interactions of APP with its cytosolic partners. This treatment promoted the concentration of the cytosolic GTPase dynamin 3 (Dyn3) in neurite segments when most untreated cells displayed a homogenous punctate distribution of Dyn3. The Dyn3-labelled segments were excluded from those revealed by APP staining after aldehyde fixation. Interestingly, after aldehyde fixation MAP2 also labelled segments excluded from APP-stained segments. Thus APP is also a marker for the spacing pattern of neurites demonstrated by Taylor & Fallon (2006)J. Neurosci., 26, 1154-4463.

Critical role of methionine-722 in the stimulation of human brain G-proteins and neurotoxicity induced by London familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) mutated V717G-APP(714-723)

We have demonstrated earlier that V717G-APP(714-723), the membrane fragment of the V717G ("London") familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) mutant of amyloid precursor protein (APP), is a potent stimulator of G-proteins in human brain membranes. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Met-722 in the V717G-APP(714-723) peptide (P2) plays a critical role in the P2-induced oxidative stimulation of G-proteins in the human temporal cortex membranes and in the neurotoxicity of the peptide in differentiated PC12 and cerebellar granular cells. We found that 10 microM P3, the Met-722 sulfoxide analog of P2, produced a twofold lower stimulation of G-proteins ([(35)S]-GTPgammaS binding) in control temporal cortex membranes compared with 10 microM P2. The stimulatory effect of 10 microM P4, the Met-722 sulfone analog of P2, was 2.5-fold lower than the effect of P2. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) temporal cortex, the P3 and P4 stimulation of G-proteins was slightly weaker than the P2 stimulation. Substitution of the Met-722 S-atom in P2 by -CH(2)- group (P5) led to the disappearance of P2 stimulatory effect on G-proteins. Glutathione (GSH), melatonin (Mel), desferrioxamine (DFO) and 17-beta-estradiol (17betaE) significantly reduced P2 stimulatory effect on G-proteins in human brain. Only DFO and Mel were able to reduce the moderate stimulation of G-proteins by P3, whereas none of the tested antioxidants influenced the weak stimulation by P4. P2 at 100 microM induced a 40% decrease in PC12 cell viability as revealed by MTT assay, the effect being significantly higher than that of P3 or P4, whereas P1 (wild-type APP(714-723)) did not affect cell viability. Trypan Blue exclusion assay demonstrated that 10 microM P2 and P3 induced 3.8- and 3.5-fold death in the cerebellar granular cells as compared with the respective control values. P1 and P4 at 10 microM induced 1.7- and 2.3-fold increase in cell death, respectively. Treatment of the cerebellar granular cells with pertussis toxin decreased the high neurotoxicity of P2 and P3, whereas the low toxicity of P1 and P4 was not influenced. These results support the hypothesis that the G-protein stimulatory effect and neurotoxicity of "London"-mutated V717G-APP(714-723) (P2) and its Met-722 oxidized analogs involve oxidative-dependent and oxidative-independent mechanisms and the oxidation state of Met-722 plays a critical role in determining the mechanism.

Dysfunction of amyloid precursor protein signaling in neurons leads to DNA synthesis and apoptosis

The classic neuropathological diagnostic markers for AD are amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, but their role in the etiology and progression of the disease remains incompletely defined. Research over the last decade has revealed that cell cycle abnormalities also represent a major neuropathological feature of AD. These abnormalities appear very early in the disease process, prior to the appearance of plaques and tangles; and it has been suggested that neuronal cell cycle regulatory failure may be a significant component of the pathogenesis of AD. The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is most commonly known as the source of the beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptides that accumulate in the brains of patients with AD. However, a large body of work supports the idea that APP is also a signaling receptor. Most recently, it has been shown that familial AD (FAD) mutations in APP or simple overexpression of wild type APP cause dysfunction of APP signaling, resulting in initiation of DNA synthesis in neurons and consequent apoptosis. In this article, we review the evidence that APP has the potential to activate aberrant neuronal cell cycle re-entry in AD, and we describe a signal transduction pathway that may mediate this abnormal activation of the cell cycle.

The cell cycle as a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease worldwide. It is a progressive, incurable disease whose predominant clinical manifestation is memory loss, and which always ends in death. The classic neuropathological diagnostic markers for AD are amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, but our understanding of the role that these features of AD play in the etiology and progression of the disease remains incomplete. Research over the last decade has revealed that cell cycle abnormalities also represent a major neuropathological feature of AD. These abnormalities appear very early in the disease process, prior to the appearance of plaques and tangles. Growing evidence suggests that neuronal cell cycle regulatory failure, leading to apoptosis, may be a significant component of the pathogenesis of AD. A number of signaling pathways with the potential to activate aberrant cell cycle re-entry in AD have been described. The relationships among these signaling cascades, which involve the amyloid precursor protein (APP), cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks), and the cell cycle protein Pin1, have not yet been fully elucidated, but details of the individual pathways are beginning to emerge. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge with respect to specific neuronal signaling events that are thought to underlie cell cycle regulatory failure in AD brain. The elements of these pathways that represent potential new therapeutic targets for AD are described. Drugs and peptides that can inhibit molecular steps leading to AD neurodegeneration by intervening in the activation of cell cycle re-entry in neurons represent an entirely new approach to the development of treatments for AD.

The insect homologue of the amyloid precursor protein interacts with the heterotrimeric G protein Go alpha in an identified population of migratory neurons

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the source of Abeta fragments implicated in the formation of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). APP-related proteins are also expressed at high levels in the embryonic nervous system and may serve a variety of developmental functions, including the regulation of neuronal migration. To investigate this issue, we have cloned an orthologue of APP (msAPPL) from the moth, Manduca sexta, a preparation that permits in vivo manipulations of an identified set of migratory neurons (EP cells) within the developing enteric nervous system. Previously, we found that EP cell migration is regulated by the heterotrimeric G protein Goalpha: when activated by unknown receptors, Goalpha induces the onset of Ca2+ spiking in these neurons, which in turn down-regulates neuronal motility. We have now shown that msAPPL is first expressed by the EP cells shortly before the onset of migration and that this protein undergoes a sequence of trafficking, processing, and glycosylation events that correspond to discrete phases of neuronal migration and differentiation. We also show that msAPPL interacts with Goalpha in the EP cells, suggesting that msAPPL may serve as a novel G-protein-coupled receptor capable of modulating specific aspects of migration via Goalpha-dependent signal transduction.

Antibody-bound β-amyloid precursor protein stimulates the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 by cortical neurons

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of extracellular depositions of fibrillar beta-amyloid (A beta), which is derived from the alternative processing of beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP). Although APP is thought to function as a cell surface receptor, its mode of action still remains elusive. In this study, we found that the culture medium derived from cortical neurons treated with an anti-APP antibody triggers the death of naive neurons. Biochemical and immunocytochemical analyses revealed the presence, both in the conditioned medium and in neurons, of increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Furthermore, the expression of these proinflammatory mediators occurred through a c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase/c-Jun-dependent mechanism. Taken together, our findings provide evidence for a novel mechanism whereby neuronal APP in its full-length configuration induces neuronal death. Such a mechanism might be relevant to neuroinflammatory processes as those observed in AD.

Estrogen and the brain: beyond ER-α and ER-β

17beta-Estradiol is a greatly under-appreciated neural growth and trophic factor for the mammalian brain of all ages. Like other growth factors, such as the neurotrophins, 17beta-estradiol influences neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, and neuronal survival of its targets throughout life. Estrogen elicits developmentally regulated differentiative effects, which are not normally seen in the adult brain. However, re-expression of this developmental response occurs in the adult, following loss of trophic support, whether induced by estrogen deprivation or brain injury. In addition to the classical intranuclear estrogen receptors (ER) ER-alpha and ER-beta, we have recently identified a novel, plasma membrane-associated, putative ER that is neither ER-alpha nor ER-beta, which we have designated 'ER-X'. ER-X is a developmentally regulated estrogen-binding protein, present in wild-type, ER-alpha gene-disrupted (alphaERKO) and ER-alpha null mice, which is re-expressed following ischemic brain injury. The preferred ligand of ER-X is 17alpha-estradiol. Although ER-X shares some homology with the C-terminus of ER-alpha, it is not an alternative splicing variant and may be a new gene. While ER-X appears to mediate 17alpha- and 17beta-estradiol activation of the MAPK cascade, ER-alpha, in contrast, is inhibitory to its activation. Estradiol activation of MAPK/ERK may be particularly relevant for neuroprotection during aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Soluble form of amyloid precursor protein regulates proliferation of progenitors in the adult subventricular zone

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a type I transmembrane protein of unknown physiological function. Its soluble secreted form (sAPP) shows similarities with growth factors and increases the in vitro proliferation of embryonic neural stem cells. As neurogenesis is an ongoing process in the adult mammalian brain, we have investigated a role for sAPP in adult neurogenesis. We show that the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle, the largest neurogenic area of the adult brain, is a major sAPP binding site and that binding occurs on progenitor cells expressing the EGF receptor. These EGF-responsive cells can be cultured as neurospheres (NS). In vitro, EGF provokes soluble APP (sAPP) secretion by NS and anti-APP antibodies antagonize the EGF-induced NS proliferation. In vivo, sAPP infusions increase the number of EGF-responsive progenitors through their increased proliferation. Conversely, blocking sAPP secretion or downregulating APP synthesis decreases the proliferation of EGF-responsive cells, which leads to a reduction of the pool of progenitors. These results reveal a new function for sAPP as a regulator of SVZ progenitor proliferation in the adult central nervous system.

Amyloid Precursor Protein Mediates Proinflammatory Activation of Monocytic Lineage Cells

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by extracellular deposition of beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptide containing neuritic plaques. Abeta peptides are proteolytically derived from the membrane-bound amyloid precursor protein (APP). Although the function of APP is not entirely clear, previous studies demonstrate that neuronal APP colocalizes with beta(1) integrin receptors at sites of focal adhesion, suggesting that APP is involved in mediating neuronal process adhesion. Integrin-dependent adhesion is also a well-characterized component of immune cell proinflammatory activation. Using primary mouse microglia and the human monocytic cell line, THP-1, we have begun investigating the role of APP in integrin-dependent activation. Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that APP is recruited into a multi-receptor signaling complex during beta(1) integrin-mediated adhesion of monocytes. Stimulation induces a subsequent, specific recruitment of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins to APP, including Lyn and Syk. Antibody cross-linking of cell surface APP leads to a similar response characterized by activation and recruitment of tyrosine kinases to APP as well as subsequent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and increased proinflammatory protein levels. These data demonstrate that APP can act as a proinflammatory receptor in monocytic lineage cells and provide insight into the contribution of this protein to the inflammatory conditions described in Alzheimer's disease.

Adaptor protein interactions: modulators of amyloid precursor protein metabolism and Alzheimer's disease risk?

The cytoplasmic C-terminus of APP plays critical roles in its cellular trafficking and delivery to proteases. Adaptor proteins with phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domains, including those in the X11, Fe65, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-interacting protein (JIP) families, bind specifically to the absolutely conserved -YENPTY- motif in the APP C-terminus to regulate its trafficking and processing. Compounds that modulate APP-adaptor protein interactions may inhibit Abeta generation by specifically targeting the substrate (APP) instead of the enzyme (beta- or gamma-secretase). Genetic polymorphisms in (or near) adaptor proteins may influence risk of sporadic AD by interacting with APP in vivo to modulate its trafficking and processing to Abeta.

Characterization of V642I-A?PP-induced cytotoxicity in primary neurons

Amyloid precursor protein (AbetaPP), a precursor of amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide, is one of the molecules involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specific mutations in AbetaPP have been found in patients inheriting familial AD (FAD). These mutant AbetaPP proteins cause cell death in neuronal cell lines in vitro, but the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity has not yet been clarified completely. We analyzed the cytotoxic mechanisms of the London-type AbetaPP mutant, V642I-AbetaPP, in primary cortical neurons utilizing an adenovirus-mediated gene transfer system. Expression of V642I-AbetaPP protein induced degeneration of the primary neurons. This cytotoxicity was blocked by pertussis toxin, a specific inhibitor for heterotrimeric G proteins, Go/i, and was suppressed by an inhibitor of caspase-3/7 and an antioxidant, glutathione ethyl ester. A specific inhibitor for NADPH oxidase, apocynin, but not a xanthine oxidase inhibitor or a nitric oxide inhibitor, blocked V642I-AbetaPP-induced cytotoxicity. Among mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family proteins, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38MAPK, but not extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), were involved in this cytotoxic pathway. The V642I-AbetaPP-induced cytotoxicity was not suppressed by two secretase inhibitors, suggesting that Abeta does not play a major role in this cytotoxicity. Two neuroprotective factors, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and Humanin, protected these primary neurons from V642I-AbetaPP-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, interleukin-6 and -11 also attenuated this cytotoxicity. This study demonstrated that the signaling pathway activated by mutated AbetaPP in the primary neurons is the same as that by the other artificial insults such as antibody binding to AbetaPP and the artificial dimerization of cytoplasmic domain of AbetaPP. The potential of neurotrophic factors and cytokines in AD therapy is also indicated.

Amyloid precursor protein carboxy-terminal fragments modulate G-proteins and adenylate cyclase activity in Alzheimer's disease brain

The influence of three C-terminal sequences and of transmembrane domain from amyloid precursor protein (APP) on the activity of G-proteins and of the coupled cAMP-signalling system in the postmortem Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-matched control brains was compared. 10 microM APP(639-648)-APP(657-676) (PEP1) causes a fivefold stimulation in the [35S]GTPgammaS-binding to control hippocampal G-proteins. APP(657-676) (PEP2) and APP(639-648) (PEP4) showed less pronounced stimulation whereas cytosolic APP(649-669) (PEP3) showed no regulatory activity in the [35S]GTPgammaS-binding. PEP1 also showed 1.4-fold stimulatory effect of on the high-affinity GTPase and adenylate cyclase activity in control membranes, whereas in AD hippocampal membranes the stimulatory effect of PEP1 was substantially weaker. The PEP1 stimulation of the [35S]GTPgammaS-binding to the control membranes was significantly reduced by 1.5 mM glutathione, 0.5 mM antioxidant N-acetylcysteine and, in the greatest extent, by 0.01 mM of desferrioxamine. In AD hippocampus these antioxidants revealed no remarkable reducing effect on PEP1-induced stimulation. Our results suggest that C-terminal and transmembrane APP sequences possess receptor-like G-protein activating function in human hippocampus and that abnormalities of this function contribute to AD progression. The stimulatory action of these sequences on G-protein mediated signalling suggests the region-specific formation of reactive species.

Characterization of the toxic mechanism triggered by Alzheimer's amyloid-beta peptides via p75 neurotrophin receptor in neuronal hybrid cells

Neuronal pathology of the brain with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by numerous depositions of amyloid-beta peptides (Abeta). Abeta binding to the 75-kDa neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) causes neuronal cell death. Here we report that Abeta causes cell death in neuronal hybrid cells transfected with p75NTR, but not in nontransfected cells, and that p75NTR(L401K) cannot mediate Abeta neurotoxicity. We analyzed the cytotoxic pathway by transfecting pertussis toxin (PTX)-resistant G protein alpha subunits in the presence of PTX and identified that Galpha(o), but not Galpha(i), proteins are involved in p75NTR-mediated Abeta neurotoxicity. Further investigation suggested that Abeta neurotoxicity via p75NTR involved JNK, NADPH oxidase, and caspases-9/3 and was inhibited by activity-dependent neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor-I, basic fibroblast growth factor, and Humanin, as observed in primary neuron cultures. Understanding the Abeta neurotoxic mechanism would contribute significantly to the development of anti-AD therapies.

DNA synthesis and neuronal apoptosis caused by familial Alzheimer disease mutants of the amyloid precursor protein are mediated by the p21 activated kinase PAK3

Apoptotic pathways and DNA synthesis are activated in neurons in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the signaling mechanisms that mediate these events have not been defined. We show that expression of familial AD (FAD) mutants of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) in primary neurons in culture causes apoptosis and DNA synthesis. Both the apoptosis and the DNA synthesis are mediated by the p21 activated kinase PAK3, a serine-threonine kinase that interacts with APP. A dominant-negative kinase mutant of PAK3 inhibits the neuronal apoptosis and DNA synthesis; this effect is abolished by deletion of the PAK3 APP-binding domain or by coexpression of a peptide representing this binding domain. The involvement of PAK3 specifically in FAD APP-mediated apoptosis rather than in general apoptotic pathways is suggested by the facts that a dominant-positive mutant of PAK3 does not alone cause neuronal apoptosis and that the dominant-negative mutant of PAK3 does not inhibit chemically induced apoptosis. Pertussis toxin, which inactivates the heterotrimeric G-proteins Go and Gi, inhibits the apoptosis and DNA synthesis caused by FAD APP mutants; the apoptosis and DNA synthesis are rescued by coexpression of a pertussis toxin-insensitive Go. FAD APP-mediated DNA synthesis precedes FAD APP-mediated apoptosis in neurons, and inhibition of neuronal entry into the cell cycle inhibits the apoptosis. These data suggest that a normal signaling pathway mediated by the interaction of APP, PAK3, and Go is constitutively activated in neurons by FAD mutations in APP and that this activation causes cell cycle entry and consequent apoptosis.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 decreases endogenous amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) levels and protects hippocampal neurons from death induced by Abeta and iron

Glucagon-like peptide-1(7-36)-amide (GLP-1) is an endogenous insulinotropic peptide that is secreted from the gastrointestinal tract in response to food. It enhances pancreatic islet beta-cell proliferation and glucose-dependent insulin secretion and lowers blood glucose and food intake in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. GLP-1 receptors, which are coupled to the cyclic AMP second messenger pathway, are expressed throughout the brains of rodents and humans. It was recently reported that GLP-1 and exendin-4, a naturally occurring, more stable analogue of GLP-1 that binds at the GLP-1 receptor, possess neurotrophic properties and can protect neurons against glutamate-induced apoptosis. We report here that GLP-1 can reduce the levels of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) in the brain in vivo and can reduce levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in cultured neuronal cells. Moreover, GLP-1 and exendin-4 protect cultured hippocampal neurons against death induced by Abeta and iron, an oxidative insult. Collectively, these data suggest that GLP-1 can modify APP processing and protect against oxidative injury, two actions that suggest a novel therapeutic target for intervention in Alzheimer's disease.

The vesicular monoamine content regulates VMAT2 activity through Galphaq in mouse platelets. Evidence for autoregulation of vesicular transmitter uptake

Variations in the neurotransmitter content of secretory vesicles enable neurons to adapt to network changes. Vesicular content may be modulated by vesicle-associated Go(2), which down-regulates the activity of the vesicular monoamine transmitter transporters VMAT1 in neuroendocrine cells and VMAT2 in neurons. Blood platelets resemble serotonergic neurons with respect to transmitter storage and release. In streptolysin O-permeabilized platelets, VMAT2 activity is also down-regulated by the G protein activator guanosine 5'-(beta(i)gamma-imido)triphosphate (GMppNp). Using serotonin-depleted platelets from peripheral tryptophan hydroxylase knockout (Tph1-/-) mice, we show here that the vesicular filling initiates the G protein-mediated down-regulation of VMAT2 activity. GMppNp did not influence VMAT2 activity in naive platelets from Tph1-/- mice. GMppNp-mediated inhibition could be reconstituted, however, when preloading Tph1-/- platelets with serotonin or noradrenaline. Galpha(q) mediates the down-regulation of VMAT2 activity as revealed from uptake studies performed with platelets from Galpha(q) deletion mutants. Serotonergic, noradrenergic, as well as thromboxane A(2) receptors are not directly involved in the down-regulation of VMAT2 activity. It is concluded that in platelets the vesicle itself regulates transmitter transporter activity via its content and vesicle-associated Galpha(q).

Roles of amyloid precursor protein and its fragments in regulating neural activity, plasticity and memory

Amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) is a membrane-spanning protein with a large extracellular domain and a much smaller intracellular domain. It is the source of the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide found in neuritic plaques of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Because Abeta shows neurotoxic properties, and because familial forms of AD promote Abeta accumulation, a massive international research effort has been aimed at understanding the mechanisms of Abeta generation, catabolism and toxicity. APP, however, is an extremely complex molecule that may be a functionally important molecule in its full-length configuration, as well as being the source of numerous fragments with varying effects on neural function. For example, one fragment derived from the non-amyloidogenic processing pathway, secreted APPalpha (sAPPalpha), is neuroprotective, neurotrophic and regulates cell excitability and synaptic plasticity, while Abeta appears to exert opposing effects. Less is known about the neural functions of other fragments, but there is a growing interest in understanding the basic biology of APP as it has become recognized that alterations in the functional activity of the APP fragments during disease states will have complex effects on cell function. Indeed, it has been proposed that reductions in the level or activity of certain APP fragments, in addition to accumulation of Abeta, may play a critical role in the cognitive dysfunction associated with AD, particularly early in the course of the disease. To test and modify this hypothesis, it is important to understand the roles that full-length APP and its fragments normally play in neuronal structure and function. Here we review evidence addressing these fundamental questions, paying particular attention to the contributions that APP fragments play in synaptic transmission and neural plasticity, as these may be key to understanding their effects on learning and memory. It is clear from this literature that APP fragments, including Abeta, can exert a powerful regulation of key neural functions including cell excitability, synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation, both acutely and over the long-term. Furthermore, there is a small but growing literature confirming that these fragments correspondingly regulate behavioral learning and memory. These data indicate that a full account of cognitive dysfunction in AD will need to incorporate the actions of the full complement of APP fragments. To this end, there is an urgent need for a dedicated research effort aimed at understanding the behavioral consequences of altered levels and activity of the different APP fragments as a result of experience and disease.

A Kinetic Analysis of the Mechanism of beta-Amyloid Induced G Protein Activation

beta-Amyloid (A beta) is the primary protein component of senile plaques found in Alzheimer's disease. In an aggregated (amyloid fibril, protofibril, or low molecular weight oligomer) state, A beta has been consistently shown to be toxic to neurons, but the molecular mechanism of this toxicity is poorly understood. We have previously shown that A beta activates a G(i/o) protein, and that inhibition of this specific G protein activation attenuated A beta-induced cell toxicity. In the present study, we use a kinetic analysis to examine the mechanism of A beta-induced G protein activation. Using synthetic A beta(1-40) and phospholipid vesicles containing purified G(0)alpha subunits, we examined the relationship between A beta concentration, G(0)alpha subunit concentration, GTP concentration and rate of GTP hydrolysis experimentally. We found that at low concentrations of A beta (less than 10 microM), A beta increased the rate of GTP hydrolysis over the rate of hydrolysis in the absence of peptide, however, at high concentrations of A beta, significantly decreased rates of GTP hydrolysis were observed. We postulated several molecular level mechanisms for the observed rate behavior, from those mechanisms derived rate equations, and then tested the mechanisms against our experimental rate data. Based on our results, we identified a plausible mechanism for A beta-induced G protein activation which is consistent with available experimental data. This work demonstrates the utility of an engineering approach to examining steps in the mechanism of A beta-induced cell toxicity and could provide insight into our understanding of the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease.

Involvement of c-Jun N-terminal kinase in amyloid precursor protein-mediated neuronal cell death

Amyloid precursor protein (APP), the precursor of Abeta, has been shown to function as a cell surface receptor that mediates neuronal cell death by anti-APP antibody. The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) can mediate various neurotoxic signals, including Abeta neurotoxicity. However, the relationship of APP-mediated neurotoxicity to JNK is not clear, partly because APP cytotoxicity is Abeta independent. Here we examined whether JNK is involved in APP-mediated neuronal cell death and found that: (i) neuronal cell death by antibody-bound APP was inhibited by dominant-negative JNK, JIP-1b and SP600125, the specific inhibitor of JNK, but not by SB203580 or PD98059; (ii) constitutively active (ca) JNK caused neuronal cell death and (iii) the pharmacological profile of caJNK-mediated cell death closely coincided with that of APP-mediated cell death. Pertussis toxin (PTX) suppressed APP-mediated cell death but not caJNK-induced cell death, which was suppressed by Humanin, a newly identified neuroprotective factor which inhibits APP-mediated cytotoxicity. In the presence of PTX, the PTX-resistant mutant of Galphao, but not that of Galphai, recovered the cytotoxic action of APP. These findings demonstrate that JNK is involved in APP-mediated neuronal cell death as a downstream signal transducer of Go.