Amyloid Precursor Protein Substrate Research Articles

Alpha-Secretase As a Therapeutic Target

In the non-amyloidogenic pathway the alpha-secretase cleaves the amyloid precursor protein (APP) within the sequence of Abeta-peptides and precludes their formation. In addition, alpha-secretase cleavage releases an N-terminal extracellular domain with neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties. The disintegrin metalloproteinase ADAM10 has been shown to act as alpha-secretase in vivo, to prevent amyloid plaque formation and hippocampal defects in an Alzheimer disease mouse model. An increase in alpha-secretase activity therefore is an attractive strategy for treatment of AD and may be achieved by modulating selective signalling pathways. Functional characterization of the human ADAM10 promoter showed that it contains several binding elements for transcription factors which are regulated by extracellular ligands. Retinoic acid (RA) was identified as an inducer of human ADAM10 promoter activity. In human neuroblastoma cell lines RA treatment upregulated the expression of both the alpha-secretase ADAM10 and its substrates APP and the related APP-like-protein 2 (APLP2), and led to an enhanced secretion of their extracellular domains. Furthermore, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) localized in brain areas affected by AD were investigated. Activation of the PAC1 receptor by the neuropeptide PACAP was identified as an approach for upregulation of the alpha-secretase pathway.

γ-Secretase Substrate Concentration Modulates the Aβ42/Aβ40 Ratio: IMPLICATIONS FOR ALZHEIMER DISEASE

Mutation of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin-1, or presenilin-2 results in the development of early onset autosomal dominant forms of Alzheimer disease (AD). These mutations lead to an increased Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio that correlates with the onset of disease. However, it remains unknown how these mutations affect gamma-secretase, a protease that generates the termini of Abeta40 and Abeta42. Here we have determined the reaction mechanism of gamma-secretase with wild type and three mutated APP substrates. Our findings indicate that despite the overall outcome of an increased Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio, these mutations each display rather distinct reactivity to gamma-secretase. Intriguingly, we found that the ratio of Abeta42/Abeta40 is variable with substrate concentration; increased substrate concentrations result in higher ratios of Abeta42/Abeta40. Moreover, we demonstrated that reduction of gamma-secretase substrate concentration by BACE1 inhibition in cells decreased the Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio. This study indicates that biological factors affecting targets such as BACE1 and APP, which ultimately cause an increased concentration of gamma-secretase substrate, can augment the Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio and may play a causative role in sporadic AD. Therefore, strategies lowering the Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio through partial reduction of gamma-secretase substrate production may introduce a practical therapeutic modality for treatment of AD.

Why does β-secretase zymogen possess catalytic activity? Molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulation studies

β-secretase is a potential target for inhibitory drugs against Alzheimer's disease as it cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) to form insoluble amyloid plaques and vascular deposits in the brain. β-secretase is matured from its precursor protein, called β-secretase zymogen, which, different from most of other zymogens, is also partially active in cleaving APP. Hence, it is important to study on the mechanism of the zymogen's activation process. This study was to model the 3-D structure of the zymogen, followed by intensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to identify the most probable 3-D model and to study the dynamic structural behavior of the zymogen for understanding the effects of pro-segment on the function of the enzyme. The results revealed that the dropping in catalytic activity of the β-secretase zymogen could be attributed to the occupation of the entrance of the catalytic site of the zymogen by its pro-segment. On the other hand, the partial catalytic activity of the zymogen could be explained by high fluctuation of the pro-segment in comparison with that of other zymogens, resulting in the occasionally exposure of the catalytic site for access its substrate APP. Indeed, steered MD (SMD) simulation revealed a weak pulling force at quasi-equilibrium state for the pro-segment of the zymogen leaving from the entrance, indicating that this swinging process could take place spontaneously. Furthermore, MM-PBSA calculation revealed a small change of free energy of 10.56 kal/mol between the initial and final states of the process of pro-segment swung outside the binding pocket of β-secretase zymogen. These results not only account for the partial catalytic activity of β-secretase zymogen, but also provide useful clues for discovering new potent ligands, as new type of drug leads for curing Alzheimer's disease, to prevent the pro-segment of the zymogen from leaving its catalytic site.

Dominance of Amyloid Precursor Protein Sequence over Host Cell Secretases in Determining β-Amyloid Profiles Studies of Interspecies Variation and Drug Action by Internally Standardized Immunoprecipitation/Mass Spectrometry

beta-Amyloid peptides, tentatively regarded as the principal neurotoxins responsible for Alzheimer's Disease, make up a set of products that varies significantly among different biological systems. The full implications of this complexity and its variations have yet to be defined. In this work, Abeta peptide populations were extracted from animal brain tissue or cell-conditioned media, immunoprecipitated with specific antibodies, and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry. (15)N-Substituted Abeta internal standards were added to gauge variations in the profile of captured peptides. Results from a range of species, including guinea pig, dog, rabbit, and wild-type and transgenic mice, showed that the Abeta peptide population in each system was mainly determined by the species of origin of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and not by the host tissue or cell line. The same method was used to gauge the effect on the Abeta peptide profile of an inhibitor of gamma-secretase, one of the two proteinases that excises Abeta peptides from the precursor protein with different effects on specific peptides. Overall, the results demonstrate that the species of origin of the APP substrate dictates the outcome of APP processing to a greater extent than the origin of the processing enzymes, an important consideration in rationalizing the properties of different model systems.

Stroke-Induced Subventricular Zone Proliferation is Promoted by Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Converting Enzyme Protease Activity

Cerebral stroke induces proliferation of subventricular zone (SVZ) neural progenitor cells in adult rodent brain. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE) proteolysis sheds the nonamyloidogenic soluble ectodomain of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and is a convertase for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). The resulting soluble peptides of APP and TNFalpha are mitogenic for neural progenitor cells of the SVZ. Therefore, we hypothesized a role for TACE proteolysis in stroke-induced neurogenesis. Using laser-capture microdissection, we found TACE transcription was increased in SVZ cells of ischemic brain. Immunohistochemistry revealed TACE protein was upregulated in SVZ neuroblasts. Intraventricular infusion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha protease inhibitor-2 (TAPI-2) decreased bromodeoxyuridine incorporation in SVZ cells of rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion. Furthermore, primary culture SVZ neurospheres from ischemic brain overexpress TACE and its substrates APP and TNF-alpha. These cells proliferated more rapidly, possessed increased TACE protease-dependent alpha-secretase activity, and released more soluble APP and TNFalpha compared with nonischemic control. In addition, TAPI-2 reduced SVZ neuroblast migration out of SVZ explants in vitro. These findings indicate TACE proteolysis as a promoter of stroke-induced SVZ progenitor cell neurogenesis, and suggest this protease activity may represent an attractive therapeutic target for stroke recovery.

Mapping of Interaction Domains Mediating Binding between BACE1 and RTN/Nogo Proteins

BACE1 is a membrane-bound aspartyl protease that specifically cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) at the β-secretase site. Membrane bound reticulon (RTN) family proteins interact with BACE1 and negatively modulate BACE1 activity through preventing access of BACE1 to its cellular APP substrate. Here, we focused our study on RTN3 and further show that a C-terminal QID triplet conserved among mammalian RTN members is required for the binding of RTN to BACE1. Although RTN3 can form homo- or heterodimers in cells, BACE1 mainly binds to the RTN monomer and disruption of the QID triplet does not interfere with the dimerization. Correspondingly, the C-terminal region of BACE1 is required for the binding of BACE1 to RTNs. Furthermore, we show that the negative modulation of BACE1 by RTN3 relies on the binding of RTN3 to BACE1. The knowledge from this study may potentially guide discovery of small molecules that can mimic the effect of RTN3 on the inhibition of BACE1 activity.

Wild-type Presenilin 1 Protects against Alzheimer Disease Mutation-induced Amyloid Pathology

Mutations in presenilin 1 (PS1) lead to dominant inheritance of early onset familial Alzheimer disease (FAD). These mutations are known to alter the gamma-secretase cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein, resulting in increased ratio of Abeta42/Abeta40 and accelerated amyloid plaque pathology in transgenic mouse models. To investigate the factors that drive the Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio and amyloid pathogenesis and to investigate the possible interactions between wild-type and FAD mutant PS1, which are co-expressed in transgenic animals, we expressed the PS1 M146V knock-in allele either on wild-type PS1 (PS1M146V/+) or PS1 null (PS1M146V/-) background and crossed these alleles with the Tg2576 APP transgenic mice. Introduction of the PS1 M146V mutation on Tg2576 background resulted in earlier onset of plaque pathology. Surprisingly, removing the wild-type PS1 in the presence of the PS1 M146V mutation (PS1M146V/-) greatly exacerbated the amyloid burden; and this was attributed to a reduction of gamma-secretase activity rather than an increase in Abeta42. Our findings establish a protective role of the wild-type PS1 against the FAD mutation-induced amyloid pathology through a partial loss-of-function mechanism.

Nicastrin Functions as a γ-Secretase-Substrate Receptor

gamma-secretase catalyzes the intramembrane cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Notch after their extracellular domains are shed by site-specific proteolysis. Nicastrin is an essential glycoprotein component of the gamma-secretase complex but has no known function. We now show that the ectodomain of nicastrin binds the new amino terminus that is generated upon proteolysis of the extracellular APP and Notch domains, thereby recruiting the APP and Notch substrates into the gamma-secretase complex. Chemical- or antibody-mediated blocking of the free amino terminus, addition of purified nicastrin ectodomain, or mutations in the ectodomain markedly reduce the binding and cleavage of substrate by gamma-secretase. These results indicate that nicastrin is a receptor for the amino-terminal stubs that are generated by ectodomain shedding of type I transmembrane proteins. Our data are consistent with a model where nicastrin presents these substrates to gamma-secretase and thereby facilitates their cleavage via intramembrane proteolysis.

Spatial Segregation of γ-Secretase and Substrates in DistinctMembraneDomains

Gamma-secretase facilitates the regulated intramembrane proteolysis of select type I membrane proteins that play diverse physiological roles in multiple cell types and tissue. In this study, we used biochemical approaches to examine the distribution of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and several additional gamma-secretase substrates in membrane microdomains. We report that APP C-terminal fragments (CTFs) and gamma-secretase reside in Lubrol WX detergent-insoluble membranes (DIM) of cultured cells and adult mouse brain. APP CTFs that accumulate in cells lacking gamma-secretase activity preferentially associate with DIM. Cholesterol depletion and magnetic immunoisolation studies indicate recruitment of APP CTFs into cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich lipid rafts, and co-residence of APP CTFs, PS1, and syntaxin 6 in DIM patches derived from the trans-Golgi network. Photoaffinity cross-linking studies provided evidence for the preponderance of active gamma-secretase in lipid rafts of cultured cells and adult brain. Remarkably, unlike the case of APP, CTFs derived from Notch1, Jagged2, deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC), and N-cadherin remain largely detergent-soluble, indicative of their spatial segregation in non-raft domains. In embryonic brain, the majority of PS1 and nicastrin is present in Lubrol WX-soluble membranes, wherein the CTFs derived from APP, Notch1, DCC, and N-cadherin also reside. We suggest that gamma-secretase residence in non-raft membranes facilitates proteolysis of diverse substrates during embryonic development but that the translocation of gamma-secretase to lipid rafts in adults ensures processing of certain substrates, including APP CTFs, while limiting processing of other potential substrates.

Statins Cause Intracellular Accumulation of Amyloid Precursor Protein, β-Secretase-cleaved Fragments, and Amyloid β-Peptide via an Isoprenoid-dependent Mechanism

The use of statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors that block the synthesis of mevalonate (and downstream products such as cholesterol and nonsterol isoprenoids), as a therapy for Alzheimer disease is currently the subject of intense debate. It has been reported that statins reduce the risk of developing the disorder, and a link between cholesterol and Alzheimer disease pathophysiology has been proposed. Moreover, experimental studies focusing on the cholesterol-dependent effects of statins have demonstrated a close association between cellular cholesterol levels and amyloid production. However, evidence suggests that statins are pleiotropic, and the potential cholesterol-independent effects of statins on amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism and amyloid beta-peptide (A beta) genesis are unknown. In this study, we developed a novel in vitro system that enabled the discrete analysis of cholesterol-dependent and -independent (i.e. isoprenoid-dependent) statin effects on APP cleavage and A beta formation. Given the recent interest in the role that intracellular A beta may play in Alzheimer disease, we analyzed statin effects on both secreted and cell-associated A beta. As reported previously, low cellular cholesterol levels favored the alpha-secretase pathway and decreased A beta secretion presumably within the endocytic pathway. In contrast, low isoprenoid levels resulted in the accumulation of APP, amyloidogenic fragments, and A beta likely within biosynthetic compartments. Importantly, low cholesterol and low isoprenoid levels appeared to have completely independent effects on APP metabolism and A beta formation. Although the implications of these effects for Alzheimer disease pathophysiology have yet to be investigated, to our knowledge, these results provide the first evidence that isoprenylation is involved in determining levels of intracellular A beta.

Targeting BACE with small inhibitory nucleic acids - a future for Alzheimer's disease therapy?

beta-Secretase, a beta-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme (BACE), participates in the secretion of beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta), the major components of the toxic amyloid plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). According to the amyloid hypothesis, accumulation of Abeta is the primary influence driving AD pathogenesis. Lowering of Abeta secretion can be achieved by decreasing BACE activity rather than by down-regulation of the APP substrate protein. Therefore, beta-secretase is a primary target for anti-amyloid therapeutic drug design. Several approaches have been undertaken to find an effective inhibitor of human beta-secretase activity, mostly in the field of peptidomimetic, non-cleavable substrate analogues. This review describes strategies targeting BACE mRNA recognition and its down-regulation based on the antisense action of small inhibitory nucleic acids (siNAs). These include antisense oligonucleotides, catalytic nucleic acids - ribozymes and deoxyribozymes - as well as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). While antisense oligonucleotides were first used to identify an aspartyl protease with beta-secretase activity, all the strategies now demonstrate that siNAs are able to inhibit BACE gene expression in a sequence-specific manner, measured both at the level of its mRNA and at the level of protein. Moreover, knock-down of BACE reduces the intra- and extracellular population of Abeta40 and Abeta42 peptides. An anti-amyloid effect of siNAs is observed in a wide spectrum of cell lines as well as in primary cortical neurons. Thus targeting BACE with small inhibitory nucleic acids may be beneficial for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and for future drug design.

Targeting BACE with small inhibitory nucleic acids - a future for Alzheimer's disease therapy?

beta-Secretase, a beta-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme (BACE), participates in the secretion of beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta), the major components of the toxic amyloid plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). According to the amyloid hypothesis, accumulation of Abeta is the primary influence driving AD pathogenesis. Lowering of Abeta secretion can be achieved by decreasing BACE activity rather than by down-regulation of the APP substrate protein. Therefore, beta-secretase is a primary target for anti-amyloid therapeutic drug design. Several approaches have been undertaken to find an effective inhibitor of human beta-secretase activity, mostly in the field of peptidomimetic, non-cleavable substrate analogues. This review describes strategies targeting BACE mRNA recognition and its down-regulation based on the antisense action of small inhibitory nucleic acids (siNAs). These include antisense oligonucleotides, catalytic nucleic acids - ribozymes and deoxyribozymes - as well as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). While antisense oligonucleotides were first used to identify an aspartyl protease with beta-secretase activity, all the strategies now demonstrate that siNAs are able to inhibit BACE gene expression in a sequence-specific manner, measured both at the level of its mRNA and at the level of protein. Moreover, knock-down of BACE reduces the intra- and extracellular population of Abeta40 and Abeta42 peptides. An anti-amyloid effect of siNAs is observed in a wide spectrum of cell lines as well as in primary cortical neurons. Thus targeting BACE with small inhibitory nucleic acids may be beneficial for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and for future drug design.

Yeast growth selection system for the identification of cell-active inhibitors of beta-secretase.

Abeta peptides, which are believed to be at the origin of Alzheimer's disease (AD), are produced through the sequential processing of the transmembrane amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the beta- and gamma-secretase. The identification of small molecules that penetrate the brain and inhibit these secretases is of great therapeutic potential. Here, we describe a cellular selection system in yeast for the identification of inhibitors of the human beta-secretase BACE-1. Similar to the natural situation in mammalian cells, BACE-1 and its substrate APP are bound to membranes in secretory pathway compartments. Yeast cells expressing these human proteins have been engineered so as to grow under selective conditions only upon reduction of BACE-1 activity, thus allowing identification of compounds that, in addition to inhibiting BACE-1, must permeate cellular membranes and present no cytotoxic effects. Our results show that gradual reduction of BACE-1 expression in the engineered yeast strain resulted in gradual increase of cell growth rate. Moreover, two validated BACE-1 inhibitors, which have IC50 values between 7 and 8 microM in mammalian cell assays, stimulated yeast growth in a concentration-dependent manner. This effect was specific for BACE-1 since these compounds had no effect on yeast cells expressing a different secretase cleaving the APP substrate at the alpha-site. The target-specific cellular assay presented here is applicable in high-throughput screens for selecting inhibitors of defined secretases acting on natural substrates in a membrane-bound protein configuration.

Amyloid precursor protein compartmentalization restricts beta-amyloid production: therapeutic targets based on BACE compartmentalization.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is defined by deposits of the 42-residue amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta42) in the brain. Abeta42 is a minor metabolite of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), but its relative levels are increased by mutations on APP and presenilins 1 and 2 linked to familial AD. beta-secretase (BACE-1), an aspartyl protease, cleaves approx 10% of the APP in neuronal cells on the N-terminal side of Abeta to produce the C-terminal fragment (CTFbeta), which is cleaved by gamma-secretase to produce mostly Abeta of 40 residues (90%) and approx10% Abeta42. A third enzyme, alpha-secretase, cleaves APP after Abeta16 to secrete sAPPalpha and CTFalpha, the major metabolites of APP. Moreover, previous studies have demonstrated that phorbol esters stimulate processing of APP by alpha-secretase. Because alpha-secretase and BACE-1 cleave APP within the secretory pathway, it is likely that the two enzymes compete for the APP substrate. This type of competition can explain the failure to saturate the minor BACE-1 pathway by overexpressing APP in the cell. In this study, we demonstrate that inhibition of constitutive alpha-secretase processing in a human neuroblastoma cell line does not increase the yield of Abeta, suggesting that the APP substrate targeted for alpha-secretase processing is not diverted to the BACE-1 pathway. However, when phorbol ester-induced alpha-secretase was similarly inhibited, we detected an increase in BACE-1 processing and AB yield. We explain these results compartmentalization of BACE-1 and alpha-secretase with processing depending on sorting of APP to the two compartments. The simplest explanation for the detection of competition between the two pathways upon phorbol ester stimulation is the partial failure of this compartmentalization by phorbol ester-induced release of secretory vesicles.

Heparan sulfate regulates amyloid precursor protein processing by BACE1, the Alzheimer's beta-secretase.

Cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the Alzheimer's β-secretase (BACE1) is a key step in generating amyloid β-peptide, the main component of amyloid plaques. Here we report evidence that heparan sulfate (HS) interacts with β-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE) 1 and regulates its cleavage of APP. We show that HS and heparin interact directly with BACE1 and inhibit in vitro processing of peptide and APP substrates. Inhibitory activity is dependent on saccharide size and specific structural characteristics, and the mechanism of action involves blocking access of substrate to the active site. In cellular assays, HS specifically inhibits BACE1 cleavage of APP but not alternative cleavage by α-secretase. Endogenous HS immunoprecipitates with BACE1 and colocalizes with BACE1 in the Golgi complex and at the cell surface, two of its putative sites of action. Furthermore, inhibition of cellular HS synthesis results in enhanced BACE1 activity. Our findings identify HS as a natural regulator of BACE1 and suggest a novel mechanism for control of APP processing.

Formula omitted]- and [formula omitted]-secretase: profound changes in Alzheimer’s disease

The amyloid plaque, a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, is produced by the deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide, which is cleaved from Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) by the enzyme β-secretase. Only small amounts of Aβ form in normal brain; more typically this is precluded by the processing of APP by α-secretase. Here, we describe a decrease in α-secretase (81% of normal) and a large increase in β-secretase activity (185%) in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease temporal cortex. Since α-secretase is present principally in neurons known to be vulnerable in Alzheimer’s disease, and there is known competition between α- and β-secretase for the substrate APP, it is significant that the majority of Alzheimer samples tested here were low in α-secretase. Eighty percent of Alzheimer brains examined had an increase in β-secretase, a decrease in α-secretase, or both; which may account for the means by which the majority of people develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Modeling of substrate specificity of the Alzheimer’s disease amyloid precursor protein β-secretase

The enzyme BACE (β-site APP-cleaving enzyme) has recently been identified as the β-secretase that cleaves the amyloid precursor protein (APP) to produce the N terminus of the Aβ peptide found in plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients. BACE is an aspartic protease similar to pepsin and renin. Comparative modeling of the three-dimensional structure of BACE in complex with its substrate shows that several residues confer specificity of the enzyme for APP. In particular, Arg296 forms a salt-bridge with the P1′ Asp of the APP substrate, explaining the unusual preference of BACE among aspartic proteases for a P1′ residue that is negatively charged. Several hydrophobic residues in the enzyme form a pocket for the P1 hydrophobic residue (Met in wild-type APP and Leu in APP with the ’’Swedish mutation” associated with early-onset of Alzheimer’s disease). Inhibitors that can bind to the BACE active site may prove useful for drugs to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

The release of Alzheimer's disease beta amyloid peptide is reduced by phorbol treatment.

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved predominantly within the beta amyloid peptide (BAP) domain to release a non-amyloidogenic amino-terminal PN2 fragment. Treatment of cells with phorbol dibutyrate, an agent which activates protein kinase C, has been shown to increase the release of an amino-terminal fragment. A panel of mutant APP reporter constructs was expressed in which each of the potential phosphorylation sites located within the cytoplasmic domain of APP was replaced with alanine residues. Phorbol response patterns were unchanged for each of these mutants, suggesting that induced cleavage occurs independently of APP substrate phosphorylation. We find that phorbol (a) increases the release of a PN2 fragment that is consistent with the normal secretase activity, (b) decreases the release of a shorter amino-terminal APP fragment that is cleaved near the amino terminus of BAP, and (c) decreases the release of BAP which was identified based on electrophoretic mobility, epitope mapping, and radio-sequencing. These data demonstrate that pharmacological treatment can reduce the formation of BAP and suggests that protein kinase C activators could be developed as therapeutic agents to block BAP formation.