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Cho Y, Bae HG, Okun E, Arumugam TV, Jo DG. Physiology and pharmacology of amyloid precursor protein. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 235:108122. [PMID: 35114285 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an evolutionarily conserved transmembrane protein and a well-characterized precursor protein of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, which accumulate in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related pathologies. Aβ has been extensively investigated since the amyloid hypothesis in AD was proposed. Besides Aβ, previous studies on APP and its proteolytic cleavage products have suggested their diverse pathological and physiological functions. However, their roles still have not been thoroughly understood. In this review, we extensively discuss the evolutionarily-conserved biology of APP, including its structure and processing pathway, as well as recent findings on the physiological roles of APP and its fragments in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. We have also elaborated upon the current status of APP-targeted therapeutic approaches for AD treatment by discussing inhibitors of several proteases participating in APP processing, including α-, β-, and γ-secretases. Finally, we have highlighted the future perspectives pertaining to further research and the potential clinical role of APP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonsuk Cho
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Han-Gyu Bae
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Pauld Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Israel
| | - Thiruma V Arumugam
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea; School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Dong-Gyu Jo
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea; Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, South Korea; Biomedical Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
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Liu T, Zhang T, Nicolas M, Boussicault L, Rice H, Soldano A, Claeys A, Petrova I, Fradkin L, De Strooper B, Potier MC, Hassan BA. The amyloid precursor protein is a conserved Wnt receptor. eLife 2021; 10:69199. [PMID: 34515635 PMCID: PMC8437438 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and its homologues are transmembrane proteins required for various aspects of neuronal development and activity, whose molecular function is unknown. Specifically, it is unclear whether APP acts as a receptor, and if so what its ligand(s) may be. We show that APP binds the Wnt ligands Wnt3a and Wnt5a and that this binding regulates APP protein levels. Wnt3a binding promotes full-length APP (flAPP) recycling and stability. In contrast, Wnt5a promotes APP targeting to lysosomal compartments and reduces flAPP levels. A conserved Cysteine-Rich Domain (CRD) in the extracellular portion of APP is required for Wnt binding, and deletion of the CRD abrogates the effects of Wnts on flAPP levels and trafficking. Finally, loss of APP results in increased axonal and reduced dendritic growth of mouse embryonic primary cortical neurons. This phenotype can be cell-autonomously rescued by full length, but not CRD-deleted, APP and regulated by Wnt ligands in a CRD-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengyuan Liu
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,Doctoral School of Biomedical Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,Doctoral School of Biomedical Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maya Nicolas
- Doctoral School of Biomedical Sciences, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Brain and Disease, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven School of Medicine, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lydie Boussicault
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Heather Rice
- Center for Brain and Disease, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven School of Medicine, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alessia Soldano
- Center for Brain and Disease, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven School of Medicine, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelies Claeys
- Center for Brain and Disease, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven School of Medicine, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Iveta Petrova
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Lee Fradkin
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Bart De Strooper
- Center for Brain and Disease, Leuven, Belgium.,UK Dementia Research institute at University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marie-Claude Potier
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Bassem A Hassan
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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Nutraceutical and Probiotic Approaches to Examine Molecular Interactions of the Amyloid Precursor Protein APP in Drosophila Models of Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137022. [PMID: 34209883 PMCID: PMC8269328 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies using animal models have shed light into the molecular and cellular basis for the neuropathology observed in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In particular, the role of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a crucial role in the formation of senile plaques and aging-dependent degeneration. Here, we focus our review on recent findings using the Drosophila AD model to expand our understanding of APP molecular function and interactions, including insights gained from the fly homolog APP-like (APPL). Finally, as there is still no cure for AD, we review some approaches that have shown promising results in ameliorating AD-associated phenotypes, with special attention on the use of nutraceuticals and their molecular effects, as well as interactions with the gut microbiome. Overall, the phenomena described here are of fundamental significance for understanding network development and degeneration. Given the highly conserved nature of fundamental signaling pathways, the insight gained from animal models such as Drosophila melanogaster will likely advance the understanding of the mammalian brain, and thus be relevant to human health.
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Silva B, Niehage C, Maglione M, Hoflack B, Sigrist SJ, Wassmer T, Pavlowsky A, Preat T. Interactions between amyloid precursor protein-like (APPL) and MAGUK scaffolding proteins contribute to appetitive long-term memory in Drosophila melanogaster. J Neurogenet 2020; 34:92-105. [PMID: 31965876 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2020.1712597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein (APP), the precursor of amyloid beta peptide, plays a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a pathology characterized by memory decline and synaptic loss upon aging. Understanding the physiological role of APP is fundamental in deciphering the progression of AD, and several studies suggest a synaptic function via protein-protein interactions. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether and how these interactions contribute to memory. In Drosophila, we previously showed that APP-like (APPL), the fly APP homolog, is required for aversive associative memory in the olfactory memory center, the mushroom body (MB). In the present study, we show that APPL is required for appetitive long-term memory (LTM), another form of associative memory, in a specific neuronal subpopulation of the MB, the α'/β' Kenyon cells. Using a biochemical approach, we identify the synaptic MAGUK (membrane-associated guanylate kinase) proteins X11, CASK, Dlgh2 and Dlgh4 as interactants of the APP intracellular domain (AICD). Next, we show that the Drosophila homologs CASK and Dlg are also required for appetitive LTM in the α'/β' neurons. Finally, using a double RNAi approach, we demonstrate that genetic interactions between APPL and CASK, as well as between APPL and Dlg, are critical for appetitive LTM. In summary, our results suggest that APPL contributes to associative long-term memory through its interactions with the main synaptic scaffolding proteins CASK and Dlg. This function should be conserved across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryon Silva
- Genes and Dynamics of Memory Systems, Brain Plasticity Unit, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | | | - Marta Maglione
- Institute for Biology/Genetics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stephan J Sigrist
- Institute for Biology/Genetics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Wassmer
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Alice Pavlowsky
- Genes and Dynamics of Memory Systems, Brain Plasticity Unit, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Preat
- Genes and Dynamics of Memory Systems, Brain Plasticity Unit, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, Paris, France
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Tang BL. Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and GABAergic Neurotransmission. Cells 2019; 8:E550. [PMID: 31174368 PMCID: PMC6627941 DOI: 10.3390/cells8060550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the parent polypeptide from which amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, key etiological agents of Alzheimer's disease (AD), are generated by sequential proteolytic processing involving β- and γ-secretases. APP mutations underlie familial, early-onset AD, and the involvement of APP in AD pathology has been extensively studied. However, APP has important physiological roles in the mammalian brain, particularly its modulation of synaptic functions and neuronal survival. Recent works have now shown that APP could directly modulate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in two broad ways. Firstly, APP is shown to interact with and modulate the levels and activity of the neuron-specific Potassium-Chloride (K+-Cl-) cotransporter KCC2/SLC12A5. The latter is key to the maintenance of neuronal chloride (Cl-) levels and the GABA reversal potential (EGABA), and is therefore important for postsynaptic GABAergic inhibition through the ionotropic GABAA receptors. Secondly, APP binds to the sushi domain of metabotropic GABAB receptor 1a (GABABR1a). In this regard, APP complexes and is co-transported with GABAB receptor dimers bearing GABABR1a to the axonal presynaptic plasma membrane. On the other hand, secreted (s)APP generated by secretase cleavages could act as a GABABR1a-binding ligand that modulates presynaptic vesicle release. The discovery of these novel roles and activities of APP in GABAergic neurotransmission underlies the physiological importance of APP in postnatal brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bor Luen Tang
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
- NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
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Furotani K, Kamimura K, Yajima T, Nakayama M, Enomoto R, Tamura T, Okazawa H, Sone M. Suppression of the synaptic localization of a subset of proteins including APP partially ameliorates phenotypes of the Drosophila Alzheimer's disease model. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204048. [PMID: 30226901 PMCID: PMC6143267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
APP (amyloid precursor protein), the causative molecule of Alzheimer's disease, is synthesized in neuronal cell bodies and subsequently transported to synapses. We previously showed that the yata gene is required for the synaptic transport of the APP orthologue in Drosophila melanogaster. In this study, we examined the effect of a reduction in yata expression in the Drosophila Alzheimer's disease model, in which expression of human mutant APP was induced. The synaptic localization of APP and other synaptic proteins was differentially inhibited by yata knockdown and null mutation. Expression of APP resulted in abnormal synaptic morphology and the premature death of animals. These phenotypes were partially but significantly rescued by yata knockdown, whereas yata knockdown itself caused no abnormality. Moreover, we observed that synaptic transmission accuracy was impaired in our model, and this phenotype was improved by yata knockdown. Thus, our data suggested that the phenotypes caused by APP can be partially prevented by inhibition of the synaptic localization of a subset of synaptic proteins including APP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koto Furotani
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Rena Enomoto
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Takuya Tamura
- Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Okazawa
- Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Sone
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Rieche F, Carmine-Simmen K, Poeck B, Kretzschmar D, Strauss R. Drosophila Full-Length Amyloid Precursor Protein Is Required for Visual Working Memory and Prevents Age-Related Memory Impairment. Curr Biol 2018; 28:817-823.e3. [PMID: 29478851 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.01.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a central role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its normal physiological functions are still unclear. APP is cleaved by various secretases whereby sequential processing by the β- and γ-secretases produces the β-amyloid peptide that is accumulating in plaques that typify AD. In addition, this produces secreted N-terminal sAPPβ fragments and the APP intracellular domain (AICD). Alternative cleavage by α-secretase results in slightly longer secreted sAPPα fragments and the identical AICD. Whereas the AICD has been connected with transcriptional regulation, sAPPα fragments have been suggested to have a neurotrophic and neuroprotective role [1]. Moreover, expression of sAPPα in APP-deficient mice could rescue their deficits in learning, spatial memory, and long-term potentiation [2]. Loss of the Drosophila APP-like (APPL) protein impairs associative olfactory memory formation and middle-term memory that can be rescued with a secreted APPL fragment [3]. We now show that APPL is also essential for visual working memory. Interestingly, this short-term memory declines rapidly with age, and this is accompanied by enhanced processing of APPL in aged flies. Furthermore, reducing secretase-mediated proteolytic processing of APPL can prevent the age-related memory loss, whereas overexpression of the secretases aggravates the aging effect. Rescue experiments confirmed that this memory requires signaling of full-length APPL and that APPL negatively regulates the neuronal-adhesion molecule Fasciclin 2. Overexpression of APPL or one of its secreted N termini results in a dominant-negative interaction with the FASII receptor. Therefore, our results show that specific memory processes require distinct APPL products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Rieche
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie und Neurobiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Colonel-Kleinmann-Weg 2, 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Katia Carmine-Simmen
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Burkhard Poeck
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie und Neurobiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Colonel-Kleinmann-Weg 2, 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Doris Kretzschmar
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
| | - Roland Strauss
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie und Neurobiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Colonel-Kleinmann-Weg 2, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
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