Nuclear translocation uncovers the amyloid peptide A?42 as a regulator of gene transcription.

ABSTRACT: Although soluble species of the amyloid-? peptide A?42 correlate with disease symptoms in Alzheimer disease, little is known about the biological activities of amyloid-? (A?). Here, we show that A? peptides varying in lengths from 38 to 43 amino acids are internalized by cultured neuroblastoma cells and can be found in the nucleus. By three independent methods, we demonstrate direct detection of nuclear A?42 as follows: (i) biochemical analysis of nuclear fractions; (ii) detection of biotin-labeled A? in living cells by confocal laser scanning microscopy; and (iii) transmission electron microscopy of A? in cultured cells, as well as brain tissue of wild-type and transgenic APPPS1 mice (overexpression of amyloid precursor protein and presenilin 1 with Swedish and L166P mutations, respectively). Also, this study details a novel role for A?42 in nuclear signaling, distinct from the amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that A?42 specifically interacts as a repressor of gene transcription with LRP1 and KAI1 promoters. By quantitative RT-PCR, we confirmed that mRNA levels of the examined candidate genes were exclusively decreased by the potentially neurotoxic A?42 wild-type peptide. Shorter peptides (A?38 or A?40) and other longer peptides (nontoxic A?42 G33A substitution or A?43) did not affect mRNA levels. Overall, our data indicate that the nuclear translocation of A?42 impacts gene regulation, and deleterious effects of A?42 in Alzheimer disease pathogenesis may be influenced by altering the expression profiles of disease-modifying genes.

SUBMITTER: Barucker C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4106333 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature