Dataset Information

Mitochondrial targeting and a novel transmembrane arrest of Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein impairs mitochondrial function in neuronal cells.

ABSTRACT: Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein 695 (APP) is a plasma membrane protein, which is known to be the source of the toxic amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we demonstrate that by virtue of its chimeric NH2-terminal signal, APP is also targeted to mitochondria of cortical neuronal cells and select regions of the brain of a transgenic mouse model for AD. The positively charged residues at 40, 44, and 51 of APP are critical components of the mitochondrial-targeting signal. Chemical cross-linking together with immunoelectron microscopy show that the mitochondrial APP exists in NH2-terminal inside transmembrane orientation and in contact with mitochondrial translocase proteins. Mutational studies show that the acidic domain, which spans sequence 220-290 of APP, causes the transmembrane arrest with the COOH-terminal 73-kD portion of the protein facing the cytoplasmic side. Accumulation of full-length APP in the mitochondrial compartment in a transmembrane-arrested form, but not lacking the acidic domain, caused mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired energy metabolism. These results show, for the first time, that APP is targeted to neuronal mitochondria under some physiological and pathological conditions.

SUBMITTER: Anandatheerthavarada HK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2172865 | biostudies-other | 2003 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Several lines of recent evidence indicate that the amyloid precursor protein-derived C-terminal fragments (APP-CTFs) could correspond to an etiological trigger of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Altered mitochondrial homeostasis is considered an early event in AD development. However, the specific contribution of APP-CTFs to mitochondrial structure, function, and mitophagy defects remains to be established. Here, we demonstrate in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells expressing either APP Swedish mutations, or the β-secretase-derived APP-CTF fragment (C99) combined with β- and γ-secretase inhibition, that APP-CTFs accumulation independently of Aβ triggers excessive mitochondrial morphology alteration (i.e., size alteration and cristae disorganization) associated with enhanced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. APP-CTFs accumulation also elicit basal mitophagy failure illustrated by enhanced conversion of LC3, accumulation of LC3-I and/or LC3-II, non-degradation of SQSTM1/p62, inconsistent Parkin and PINK1 recruitment to mitochondria, enhanced levels of membrane and matrix mitochondrial proteins, and deficient fusion of mitochondria with lysosomes. We confirm the contribution of APP-CTFs accumulation to morphological mitochondria alteration and impaired basal mitophagy in vivo in young 3xTgAD transgenic mice treated with γ-secretase inhibitor as well as in adeno-associated-virus-C99 injected mice. Comparison of aged 2xTgAD and 3xTgAD mice indicates that, besides APP-CTFs, an additional contribution of Aβ to late-stage mitophagy activation occurs. Importantly, we report on mitochondrial accumulation of APP-CTFs in human post-mortem sporadic AD brains correlating with mitophagy failure molecular signature. Since defective mitochondria homeostasis plays a pivotal role in AD pathogenesis, targeting mitochondrial dysfunctions and/or mitophagy by counteracting early APP-CTFs accumulation may represent relevant therapeutic interventions in AD.

Project description:Amyloid precursor protein (APP) was originally identified as the source of ?-amyloid peptides that accumulate in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it also has been implicated in the control of multiple aspects of neuronal motility. APP belongs to an evolutionarily conserved family of transmembrane proteins that can interact with a variety of adapter and signaling molecules. Recently, we showed that both APP and its insect ortholog [APPL (APP-Like)] directly bind the heterotrimeric G-protein Go?, supporting the model that APP can function as an unconventional Go?-coupled receptor. We also adapted a well characterized assay of neuronal migration in the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, to show that APPL-Go? signaling restricts ectopic growth within the developing nervous system, analogous to the role postulated for APP family proteins in controlling migration within the mammalian cortex. Using this assay, we have now identified Manduca Contactin (MsContactin) as an endogenous ligand for APPL, consistent with previous work showing that Contactins interact with APP family proteins in other systems. Using antisense-based knockdown protocols and fusion proteins targeting both proteins, we have shown that MsContactin is selectively expressed by glial cells that ensheath the migratory neurons (expressing APPL), and that MsContactin-APPL interactions normally prevent inappropriate migration and outgrowth. These results provide new evidence that Contactins can function as authentic ligands for APP family proteins that regulate APP-dependent responses in the developing nervous system. They also support the model that misregulated Contactin-APP interactions might provoke aberrant activation of Go? and its effectors, thereby contributing to the neurodegenerative sequelae that typify AD.Members of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) family participate in many aspects of neuronal development, but the ligands that normally activate APP signaling have remained controversial. This research provides new evidence that members of the Contactin family function as authentic ligands for APP and its orthologs, and that this evolutionarily conserved class of membrane-attached proteins regulates key aspects of APP-dependent migration and outgrowth in the embryonic nervous system. By defining the normal role of Contactin-APP signaling during development, these studies also provide the framework for investigating how the misregulation of Contactin-APP interactions might contribute to neuronal dysfunction in the context of both normal aging and neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease.

Dataset Information

Mitochondrial targeting and a novel transmembrane arrest of Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein impairs mitochondrial function in neuronal cells.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets