Skip to main content
Log in

Biological activities of amyloid precursor protein

  • Published:
Acta Biologica Hungarica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Amyloid precursor protein (APP), a transmembrane glycoprotein, is the source of amyloidogenic β-amyloid peptide (βAP), the major constituent of the peptides deposited in senile plaques. Normallycleaved forms of APP exert potent neuroprotective action. Accumulating data suggest that an altered expression and/or post-translational processing of APP is responsible for the neuropathological changes observed in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. This review discusses the metabolism and secretion of APP, the biological activities of the various APP forms, and the physiological, pathophysiological and experimental circumstances that affect the APP metabolism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abe, K., Tanzi, R. E., Kogure, K. (1991) Selective induction of Kunitz-type inhibitor domaincontaining amyloid precursor protein mRNA after persistent focal ischemia in rat cerebral cortex. Neurosci. Lett. 125, 172–174.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Ancolio, K., Marambaud, P., Dauch, P., Checler, F. (1997) Alpha-secretase-derived product of beta-amyloid precursor protein is decreased by presenilin 1 mutations linked to familial Alzheimer’s disease. J. Neurochem. 69, 2494–2499.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Apert, C., Czech, C., Faivre-Bauman, A., Loudes, C., Pradier, L., Epelbaum, J. (1998) Profiles of amyloid precursor and presenilin 2-like proteins are correlated during development of the mouse hypothalamus. J. Neuroendocrinal 10, 101–109.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Araki, W., Kitaguch, N., Tokushima, Y., Ishii, K., Aratake, H., Shimohama, S., Nakamura, S., Kimura, J. (1992) Trophic effect of β-amyloid precursor protein on cerebral cortical neurons in culture. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 181, 265–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Arispe, N., Pollard, H. B., Rojas, E. (1993) Zn2+ interaction with Alzheimer amyloid β protein calcium channels. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 1710–1715.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Arispe, N., Pollard, H. B., Rojas, E. (1994) β-amyloid Ca2+-channel hypothesis for neuronal death in Alzheimer’s disease. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 140, 119–125.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Arispe, N., Pollard, H. B., Rojas, E. (1994) The ability of amyloid β-protein [AβP (1–40)] to form Ca2+ channels provides a mechanism for neuronal death in Alzheimer’s disease. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 747, 256–266.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Arispe, N., Rojas, E., Pollard, H. B. (1993) Alzheimer’s disease amyloid β-protein forms calcium channels in bilayer membranes: blockade by tromethamine and aluminum. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 567–571.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Austen, B. M., Stephens, D. J. (1995) Cleavage of a beta-amyloid precursor sequence by cathepsin D. Biomed. Pept. Prot. Nucl. Acids 1, 243–246.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Bailly, H. G., Bailly, Y., Martin, J. R., Mariani, J., Brugg, B. (1997) Synaptic beta-amyloid precursor proteins increase with learning capacity in rats. Neuroscience 80, 313–320.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Barger, S. W., Fiscus, R. R., Ruth, P., Hofmann, F., Mattson, M. P. (1995) Role of cyclic GMP in the regulation of neuronal calcium and survival by secreted forms of β-amyloid precursor. J. Neurochem. 64, 2087–2096.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Barger, S. W., Harmon, A. D. (1997) Microglial activation by Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein and modulation by apolipoprotein E. Nature 388, 878–881.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Barger, S. W., Mattson, M. P. (1995) The secreted form of the Alzheimer’s β-amyloid precursor protein stimulates a membrane-associated guanylate cyclase. Biochem. J. 311, 45–47.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Benussi, L., Govoni, S., Gasparini, L., Binetti, G., Trabucchi, M., Bianchetti, A., Racchi, M. (1998) Specific role for protein kinase C alpha in the constitutive and regulated secretion of amyloid precursor protein in human skin fibroblasts. Neurosci. Lett. 240, 97–101.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Borchelt, D. R., Ratovitski, T., van Lare, J., Lee, M. K., Gonzales, V., Jenkins, N. A., Copeland, N. G., Price, D. L., Sisodia, S. S. (1997) Accelerated amyloid deposition in the brains of transgenic mice coexpressing mutant presenilin 1 and amyloid precursor proteins. Neuron 19, 939–945.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Bramlett, H. M., Kraydieh, S., Green, E. J., Dietrich, W. D. (1997) Temporal and regional patterns of axonal damage following traumatic brain injury: a beta-amyloid precursor protein immunocytochemical study in rats. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 56, 1132–1141.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Brewer, G. J. (1997) Effects of acidosis on the distribution of processing of the beta-amyloid precursor protein in cultured hippocampal neurons. Mol. Chem. Neuropathol. 31, 171–186.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Campos, E. O., Alvarez, A., Inestrosa, N. C. (1998) Brain acetylcholinesterase promotes amyloid-beta-peptide aggregation but does not hydrolyze amyloid precursor protein peptides. Neurochem. Res. 23, 135–140.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Cataldo, A. M., Barnett, J. L., Pieroni, C., Nixon, R. A. (1997) Increased neuronal endocytosis and protease delivery to early endosomes in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease: neuropathologic evidence for a mechanism of increased β-amyloidogenesis. J. Neurosci. 17, 6142–6151.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Chen, M. (1997) Alzheimer’s alpha-secretase may be a calcium-dependent protease. FEBS Lett. 417, 163–167.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Chyung, A. S. C., Greenberg, B. D., Cook, D. G., Doms, R. W., Lee, V. M. (1997) Novel beta-secterase cleavage of beta-amyloid precursor protein in the endoplasmic reticulum/intermediate compartment of NT2N cells. J. Cell Biol. 138, 671–680.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Coulson, E. J., Barrett, G. L., Storey, E., Bartlett, P. F., Beyreuther, K., Masters, C. L. (1997) Down-regulation of the amyloid protein precursor of Alzheimer’s disease by antisense oligonucleotides reduces neuronal adhesion to specific substrata. Brain Res. 770, 72–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. de la Fourniere-Bessueille, L., Grange, D., Buchet, R. (1997) Purification and spectroscopic characterization of beta-amyloid precursor protein from porcine brains. Eur. J. Biochem. 250, 705–711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Denman, R. B., Smedman, M., Abraham, M., Chen-Hwang, M. C., Currie, J. R. (1997) Facilitated reduction of beta-amyloid peptide precursor by synthetic oligonucleotides in COS-7 cells expressing a hammerhead ribozyme. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 348, 82–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Desdouits-Magnen, J., Desdouits, F., Takeda, S., Syu, L. J., Saltiel, A. R., Buxbaum, J. D., Czernik, A. J., Nairn, A. C., Greengard, P. (1998) Regulation of secretion of Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein by the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. J. Neurochem. 70, 524–530.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Dyrks, T., Weidemann, A., Multhaup, G., Salbaum, J. M., Lemaire, H.-G., Kang, J., Muller-Hill, B., Masters, C. L., Bexreuther, K. (1988) Identification, transmembrane orientation and biogenesis of the A4 precursor of Alzheimer’s disease. EMBO J. 7, 949–957.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Esch, F. S., Keim, P. S., Beattie, E. C., Blacher, R. W., Culwell, A. R., Oltersdorf, T., McClure, D., Ward, P. J. (1990) Cleavage of amyloid β-peptide during constitutive processing of its precursor. Science 248, 1122–1124.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Fox, N. W., Johnstone, E. M., Ward, K. E., Schrementi, J., Little, S. P. (1997) APP gene promoter constructs are preferentially expressed in the CNS and testis of transgenic mice. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 240, 759–762.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Fraser, S. P., Suh, Y.-H., Djamgoz, M. B. A. (1997) Ionic effects of the Alzheimer’s disease β-amyloid precursor protein and its metabolic fragments. Trends Neurosci. 20, 67–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Fraser, S. P., Suh, Y. H., Chong, Y. H., Djamgoz, M. B. (1996) Membrane currents induced in Xenopus oocytes by the C-terminal fragment of the beta-amyloid precursor protein. J. Neurochem. 66, 2034–2040.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Friedman, L. M., Matsuda, Y., Lazarovici, P. (1997) The microbial alkaloid toxin staurosporine blocks the phorbol ester-induced increase in beta-amyloid precursor protein in PC12 cells. Nat. Toxins 5, 173–179.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Furukawa, K., Barger, S. W., Blalock, E. M., Mattson, M. P. (1996) Activation of K+ channels and suppression of neuronal activity by secreted β-amyloid precursor protein. Nature 379, 74–78.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Furukawa, K., Mattson, M. P. (1998) Sectered amyloid precursor protein alpha selectively suppresses N-methy-D-aspartate currents in hippocampal neurons: involvement of cyclic GMP. Neuroscience 83, 429–438.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Gasparini, L., Racchi, M., Benussi, L., Curti, D., Binetti, G., Bianchetti, A., Trabucchi, M., Govoni, S. (1997) Effect of energy shortage and oxidative stress on amyloid precursor protein metabolism in COS cells. Neurosci. Lett. 231, 113–117.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Glenner, G. G., Wong, C. W. (1984) Alzheimer’s disease: initial report of the purification and characterization of a novel cerebrovascular and amyloid protein. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 120, 885–890.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Golde, T. E., Estus, S., Younkin, L. H., Selkoe, D. J., Younkin, S. G. (1992) Processing of the amyloid protein precursor to potentially amyloidogenic derivatives. Science 255, 728–730.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Goldgaber, D., Harris, H. W., Hla, T., Maciag, T., Donnely, R. J., Jacobsen, J. S., Vitek, M. P., Gajdusek, D. C. (1989) Interleukin 1 regulates synthesis of amyloid β-protein precursor mRNA in human endothelial cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86, 7606–7610.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Haass, C. (1996) The molecular significance of amyloid β-peptide for Alzheimer’s disease. Eur. Arch. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 246, 118–123.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Haass, C., Aldudo, J., Cazorla, P., Bullido, M. J., de Miguel, C., Vazquez, J., Valdivieso, F. (1997) Proteolysis of Alzheimer’s disease beta-amyloid precursor protein by factor Xa. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1343, 85–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Haass, C., Hung, A. Y., Schlossmacher, M. G., Teplow, D. B., Selkoe, D. J. (1993) β-amyloid peptide and a 3-kDa fragment are derived by distinct cellular mechanisms. J. biol. Chem. 268, 3021–3024.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Haass, C., Hung, A. Y., Selkoe, D. J. (1991) Processing of β-amyloid precursor protein in microglia and astrocytes favors an internal localization over constitutive secretion. J. Neurosci. 11, 3738–3793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Haass, C., Hung, A. Y., Selkoe, D. J., Teplow, D. B. (1994) Mutations associated with a locus for familiar Alzheimer’s disease result in alternative processing of amyloid β-protein precursor. J. biol. Chem. 269, 17741–17748.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Haass, C., Koo, E. H., Mellon, A., Hung, A. Y., Selkoe, D. J. (1992) Targeting of cell-surface β-amyloid precursor protein to lysosomes: alternative processing into amyloid-bearing fragments. Nature 357, 500–503.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Haass, C., Schlossmacher, M. G., Hung, A. Y., Vigo-Pelfrey, C., Mellon, A., Ostaszewski, B., Lieberburg, I., Koo, E. H., Schenk, D., Teplow, D. B., Selkoe, S. J. (1992) Amyloid β-peptide is produced by cultured cells during normal metabolism. Nature 359, 322–325.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Haass, C., Selkoe, D. J. (1993) Cellular processing of β-amyloid precursor protein and the genesis of amyloid β-peptide. Cell 75, 1039–1042.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Hendriks, L., van Duijn, C. M., Cras, P., Cruts, M., Van Hul, W., van Harskamp, F., Warren, A., McInnis, M. G., Antonarakis, S. E., Martin, J. J., Hofman, A., Van Broeckhoven, C. (1992) Presenile dementia and cerebral haemorrhage linked to a mutation at codon 692 of the β-amyloid precursor gene. Nature Genet. 1, 218–221.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Iijima, K., Lee, D. S., Okutsu, J., Tomita, S., Hirashima, N., Kirino, Y., Suzuki, T. (1998) cDNA isolation of Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein from cholinergic nerve terminals of the electric organ of the electric ray. Biochem. J. 330, 29–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Ikezu, T., Trapp, B. D., Song, K. S., Schlegel, A., Lisanti, M. P., Okamoto, T. (1998) Caveolae, plasma membrane microdomains for alpha-secretase-mediated processing of the amyloid precursor protein. J. biol. Chem. 273, 10485–10495.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Ishiguro, M., Ohsawa, I., Takamura, C., Morimoro, T., Kohsaka, S. (1998) Secreted form of beta-amyloid precursor protein activates protein kinase C and phospholipase Cγl in cultured embryonic rat neocortical cells. Mol. Brain Res. 53, 24–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Itoh, T., Ikeda, T., Gomi, H., Nakao, S., Suzuki, T., Itohara, S. (1997) Unaltered secretion of beta-amyloid precursor protein in gelatinase A (matrix metalloproteinase 2)-deficient mice. J. biol. Chem. 272, 22389–22392.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Joachim, C. L., Duffy, L. K., Selkoe, D. (1988) Protein chemical and immunochemical studies of meningovascular β-amyloid protein in Alzheimer’s disease and normal aging. Brain Res. 474, 100–111.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Johnson-Wood, K. L., Henriksson, T., Seubert, P., Oltersdorf, T., Lieberburg, I., Schenk, D. B. (1990) Identification of specific binding sites for 125I secreted APP751 on intact fibroblast cells. Neurobiol. Aging 11, 306.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Johnston, J. A., Lannfelt, L., Wiehager, B., O’Neill, C., Cowburn, R. F. (1997) Amyloid precursor protein heat shock response in lymphoblastoid cell lines bearing presenilin-1 mutations. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1362, 183–192.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Kang, J., Lemaire, H., Unterbeck, A., Salbaum, J. M., Masters, C. L., Grzeschik, K.-H., Multhaup, G., Bexreuther, K., Muller-Hill, B. (1987) The precursor of Alzheimer’s disease amyloid A4-protein resembles a cell-surface receptor. Nature 325, 733–736.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Kawarabayashi, T., Shoji, M., Harigaya, Y., Yamaguchi, H., Hirai, S. (1991) Expression of APP in the early stage of brain damage. Brain Res. 563, 334–338.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Kim, H. S., Kim, Y. K., Jeong, S. J., Haass, C., Kim, Y. H., Suh, Y. H. (1997) Enhanced release of secreted form of Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein from PC12 cells by nicotine. Mol. Pharmacol 52, 430–436.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Kim, H. S., Lee, S. H., Kim, S. S., Kim, Y. K., Jeong, S. J., Ma, J., Han, D. H., Cho, B. K., Suh, Y. H. (1998) Post-ischemic changes in the expression of Alzheimer’s APP isoforms in rat cerebral cortex. Neuroreport 9, 533–537.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Komori, N., Kittel, A., Kang, D., Shackelford, D., Masliah, E., Zivin, J.A., Saitoh, T. (1997) Reversible ischemia increases levels of Alzheimer amyloid protein precursor without increasing levels of mRNA in the rabbit spinal cord. Mol. Brain Res. 49, 103–112.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Koo, E. H., Sisodia, S. S., Archer, D. A., Martin, L. J., Weidemann, A., Beyreuther, K., Masters, C. L., Fisher, P., Price, D. L. (1990) Precursor of amyloid protein in Alzheimer’s disease undergoes fast anterograde axonal transport. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 1561–1565.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  60. Koo, E. H., Squazzo, S. (1994) Evidence that production and release of amyloid β-protein involves the endocytic pathway. J. biol. Chem. 269, 17386–17389.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Lahiri, D. K., Farlow, M. R., Nurnberger, J. I., Greig, N. H. (1997a) Effects of cholinesterase inhibitors on the secretion of beta-amyloid precursor protein in cell cultures. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 826, 416–421.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Lahiri, D. K., Farlow, M. R., Sambamurti, K., Nall, C. (1997b) The effect of tacrine and leupeptin on the secretion of the beta-amyloid precursor protein in HeLa cells. Life Sci. 61, 1985–1992.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. LeBlanc, A. C., Koutroumanis, M., Goodyer, C. G. (1998) Protein kinase C activation increases release of secreted amyloid precursor protein without decreasing Aβ production in human primary neuron cultures. J. Neurosci. 18, 2907–2913.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  64. Leveugle, B., Ding, W., Laurence, F., Dehouck, M. P., Scanameo, A., Cecchelli, R., Fillit, H. (1998) Heparin oligosaccharides that pass the blood-brain barrier inhibit beta-amyloid precursor protein secretion and heparin binding to beta-amyloid peptide. J. Neurochem. 70, 136–744.

    Google Scholar 

  65. Lichtenthaler, S. F., Ida, N., Multhaup, G., Masters, C. L., Beyreuther, K. (1997) Mutations in the transmembrane domain of APP altering gamma-secretase specificity. Biochemistry 36, 15396–15403.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Lyckman, A. W., Confaloni, A. M., Thinakaran, G., Sisodia, S. S., Moya, K. L. (1998) Post-translational processing and turnover kinetics of presynaptically targeted amyloid precursor superfamily proteins in the central nervous system. J. biol. Chem. 273, 11100–11106.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Marambaud, P., Lopez-Perez, E., Wilk, S., Checler, F. (1997) Constitutive and protein kinase C-regulated secretory cleavage of Alzheimer’s beta-amyloid precursor protein: different control of early and late events by the proteasome. J. Neurochem. 69, 2500–2505.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Masters, C. L., Simms, G., Weinman, N. A., Multhaup, G., McDonald, B. L., Beyreuther, K. (1985) Amyloid plaque core protein in Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 4245–4249.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  69. Matsumoto, A., Matsumoto, R., Enomoto, T., Itoh, K. (1998) A human brain proteolytic activity capable of cleaving natural beta-amyloid precursor protein is affected by its substrate glycoconjugates. Neuro sci. Lett. 242, 109–113.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Mattson, M. P. (1994) Calcium and neuronal injury in Alzheimer’s disease. Contributions of β-amyloid precursor protein mismetabolism, free radicals, and metabolic compromise. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 747, 50–76.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Mattson, M. P. (1994) Secreted forms of β-amyloid precursor protein modulate dendrite outgrowth and calcium responses to glutamate in cultured embryonic hippocampal neurons. J. Neurobiol. 25, 439–450.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Mattson, M. P., Barger, S. W., Cheng, B., Lieberburg, I., Smith-Swintosky, V. L., Rydel, R. E. (1993a) β-amyloid precursor protein metabolites and loss of neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis in Alzheimer’s disease. Trends Neurosci. 16, 409–414.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Mattson, M. P., Cheng, B., Culwell, A. R., Esch, F. S., Lieberburg, I., Rydell, R. E. (1993b) Evidence for excitoprotective and intraneuronal calcium-regulating roles for secreted forms of the β-amyloid precursor protein. Neuron 10, 243–254.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. McPhie, D. L., Lee, R. K. K., Eckman, C. B., Olstein, D. H., Durham, S. P., Yager, D., Younkin, S. G., Wurtman, R. J., Neve, R. L. (1997) Neuronal expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein Alzheimer mutations causes intracellular accumulation of a C-terminal fragment containing both the amyloid beta and cytoplasmic domains. J. biol. Chem. 272, 24743–24746.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Mills, J., Laurent Charest, D., Lam, F., Beyreuther, K., Ida, N., Pelech, S. L., Reiner, P. B. (1997) Regulation of amyloid precursor protein catabolism involves the mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway. J. Neurosci. 17, 9415–9422.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  76. Milward, E. A., Papadoopoulos, R., Fuller, S. J., Moir, R. D., Small, D., Beyreuther, K., Masters, C. L. (1992) The amyloid protein precursor of Alzheimer’s disease is a mediator of the effects of nerve growth factor on neurite outgrowth. Neuron 9, 129–137.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Mook-Jung, I., Saitoh, T. (1997) Amyloid precursor protein activates phosphotyrosine pathway. Neurosci. Lett. 235, 1–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Morimoto, T., Ohsawa, I., Takamura, C., Ishiguro, M., Kohsaka, S. (1998) Involvement of amyloid precursor protein in functional synapse formation in cultured hippocampal neurons. J. Neurosci. Res. 51, 185–195.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Mullan, M., Crawford, F., Axelman, K., Houlden, H., Lilius, L., Winblad, B., Lannfelt, L. (1992) A pathogenic mutation for probable Alzheimer’s disease in the APP gene at the N-terminus of β-amyloid. Nature Genet. 1, 345–347.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Murai, H., Pierce, J. E., Raghupathi, R., Smith, D. H., Saatman, K. E., Trojanowski, J. Q., Lee, V. M., Loring, J. F., Eckman, C., Younkin, S., Mcintosh, T. K. (1998) Twofold overexpression of human beta-amyloid precursor proteins in transgenic mice does not affect the neuromotor, cognitive, or neurodegenerative sequelae following experimental brain injury. J. comp. Neurol. 392, 428–438.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Murrel, J., Farlow, M., Ghetti, B., Benson, M. D. (1991) A mutation in the amyloid precursor protein associated with hereditary Alzheimer’s disease. Science 254, 97–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  82. Nakamura, Y., Takeda, M., Niigawa, H., Hariguchi, S., Nishimura, T. (1992) Amyloid β-protein precursor deposition in rat hippocampus lesioned by ibotenic acid injection. Neurosci. Lett. 136, 95–98.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Nishimoto, I., Okamoto, T., Matsuura, Y., Takahashi, S., Okamoto, T., Murayama, Y., Ogata, E. (1993) Alzheimer amyloid protein precursor complexes with brain GTP-binding protein Go. Nature 362, 75–79.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Nitsch, R. M., Slack, B. E., Growdon, J. H., Wurtman, R. J. (1993) Release amyloid β-protein precursor derivatives by electrical depolarization of rat hippocampal slices. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 5090–5193.

    Google Scholar 

  85. Nitsch, R. M., Slack, B. E., Wurtman, R. J., Growdon, J. H. (1992) Release of Alzheimer amyloid precursor derivatives stimulated by the activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Science 258, 304–307.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Ohgami, T., Kitamoto, T., Tateishi, J. (1992) Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein accumulates within axonal swellings in human brain lesions. Neurosci. Lett. 136, 75–78.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Oltersdorf, T., Fritz, L. C., Schenk, D. B., Lieberburg, I., Johnson-Wood, K. L., Beattie, E. C., Ward, P. J., Blacher, R. W., Dovey, H. F., Sinha, S. (1989) The secreted form of Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein with the Kunitz domain is protease nexin II. Nature 347, 144–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  88. Oltersdorf, T., Ward, P., Henriksson, T., Beattie, E., Neve, R., Lieberburg, I., Fitz, I. (1990) The Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein. Identification of a stable intermediate in the biosynthetic/degradative pathway. J. biol. Chem. 265, 4492–4497.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  89. Oster-Granite, M. L., McPhie, D. L., Greenan, J., Neve, R. L. (1996) Age-dependent neuronal and synaptic degeneration in mice transgenic for the C terminus of the amyloid precursor protein. J. Neurosci. 16, 6732–6741.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  90. Otsuka, N., Tomonaga, M., Ikeda, K. (1991) Rapid appearance of β-amyloid precursor protein immunoreactivity in damaged axons and reactive glial cells in rat brain following needle stab injury. Brain Res. 568, 335–338.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Paik, S. R., Lee, J. H., Kim, D. H., Chang, C. S., Kim, J. (1997) Aluminum-induced structural alterations of the precursor of the non-A beta component of Alzheimer’s disease amyloid. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 344, 325–334.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. Paliga, K., Peraus, G., Kreger, S., Durrwang, U., Hesse, L., Multhaup, G., Masters, C. L., Beyreuther, K., Weidemann, A. (1997) Human amyloid precursor-like protein 1-cDNA cloning, ectopic expression in COS-7 cells and identification of soluble forms in the cerebrospinal fluid. Eur. J. Biochem. 250, 354–363.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. Parkin, E. T., Hussain, I., Turner, A. J., Hooper, N. M. (1997) The amyloid precursor protein is not enriched in caveolae-like, detergent-insoluble membrane microdomains. J. Neurochem. 69, 2179–2188.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  94. Parvathy, S., Hussain, I., Karran, E. H., Turner, A. J., Hooper, N. M. (1998) Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein alpha-secretase is inhibited by hydroxamic acid-based zinc metalloprotease inhibitors: similarities to the angiotensin converting enzyme secretase. Biochemistry 37, 1680–1685.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Peraus, G. C., Masters, C. L., Beyreuther, K. (1997) Late compartments of amyloid precursor protein transport in SY5Y cells are involved in β-amyloid secretion. J. Neurosci. 17, 7714–7724.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  96. Perez, R. G., Yheng, H., Van der Ploeg, L. H. T., Koo, E. H. (1997) The β-amyloid precursor protein of Alzheimer’s disease enhances neuron viability and modulates neuronal polarity. J. Neurosci. 17, 9407–9414.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  97. Pietrzik, C. U., Hoffmann, J., Stober, K., Chen, C. Y., Bauer, C., Otero, D. A., Roch, J. M., Herzog, V. (1998) From differentiation to proliferation: the secretory amyloid precursor protein as a local mediator of growth in thyroid epithelial cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95, 1770–1775.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  98. Plaschke, K., Ranneberg, T., Bauer, J., Weigand, M., Hoyer, S., Bardenheuer, H. J. (1997) The effect of stepwise cerebral hypoperfusion on energy metabolism and amyloid precursor protein (APP) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus in the adult rat. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 826, 502–506.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Quon, D., Catalano, R., Cordell, B. (1990) Fibroblast growth factor induces beta-amyloid precursor mRNA in glil but not neuronal cultured cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 167, 96–102.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  100. Racchi, M., Ianna, P., Binetti, G., Trabucchi, M., Govoni, S. (1998) Bradykinin-induced amyloid precursor protein secretion: a protein kinase C-independent mechanism that is not altered in fibroblasts from patients with sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Biochem. J. 330, 1271–1275.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  101. Refolo, L. M., Salton, S. R. J., Anderson, J. P., Mehta, P., Robakis, N. K. (1989) Nerve and epidermal growth factors induce the release of the Alzheimer amyloid precursor from PC12 cell cultures. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 164, 664–670.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  102. Roch, J.-M., Shapiro, I. P., Sundsmo, M. P., Otero, D. A. C., Refolo, L. M., Robakis, N. K., Saitoh, T. (1992) Bacterial expression, purification and functional mapping of the amyloid β/A4 protein precursor. J. biol. Chem. 267, 2214–2221.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  103. Rossner, S., Ueberham, U., Yu, J., Kirazov, L., Schliebs, R., Perez-Polo, J. R., Bigl, V. (1997) In vivo regulation of amyloid precursor protein secretion in rat neocortex by cholinergic activity. Eur. J. Neurosci. 9, 2125–2134.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  104. Saitoh, T., Sundsmo, M., Roch, J.-M., Kimura, N., Cole, G., Schubert, D., Oltersdorf, T., Schenk, D. B. (1989) Sectered form of amyloid β protein precursor is involved in the growth regulation of fibroblasts. Cell 58, 615–622.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  105. Savage, M. J., Trusko, S. P., Howland, D. S., Pinsker, L. R., Mistretta, S., Reaume, A. G., Grenberg, B. D., Siman, R., Scott, R. W. (1998) Turnover of amyloid beta-protein in mouse brain and acute reduction of its level by phorbol ester. J. Neurosci. 18, 1743–1752.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  106. Schubert, D., Behl, C. (1993) The expression of amyloid beta protein precursor protects nerve cells from β-amyloid and glutamate toxicity and alters their interaction with the extracellular matrix. Brain Res. 629, 275–282.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  107. Schubert, D., Cole, G., Saitoh, T., Oltersdorf, T. (1989) Amyloid beta protein precursor is a mitogen. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 162, 83–88.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  108. Schubert, D., Jin, L.-W., Saitoh, T., Cole, G. (1989) The regulation of amyloid β protein precursor secretion and its modulatory role in cell adhesion. Neuron 3, 689–694.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  109. Schubert, W., Prior, R., Weidemann, A., Dircksen, H., Multhaup, G., Masters, C. L., Beyreuther, K. (1991) Localization of Alzheimer βA4 amyloid precursor protein at cell and peripheral synaptic sites. Brain Res. 563, 184–194.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  110. Selkoe, D. J. (1993) Physiological production of the β-amyloid protein and the mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease. Trends Neurosci. 16, 403–409.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  111. Seubert, P., Oltersdorf, T., Lee, M. G., Barbour, R., Blomquist, C., Davis, D. L., Bryant, K., Fritz, L. C., Galasko, D., Thal, L. J., Lieberburg, I., Schenk, D. B. (1993) Secretion of β-amyloid precursor protein cleaved at the amino terminus of the β-amyloid peptide. Nature 361, 260–263.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  112. Shi, J., Xiang, Y., Simpkins, J. W. (1997) Hypoglycemia enhances the expression of mRNA encoding beta-amyloid precursor protein in rat primary cortical astroglial cells. Brain Res. 772, 247–251.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  113. Shoham, S., Ebstein, R. P. (1997) The distribution of beta-amyloid precursor protein in rat cortex after systemic kainate-induced seizures. Exp. Neurol. 147, 361–376.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  114. Shoji, M., Golde, T. E., Ghiso, J., Cheung, T. T., Estus, S., Shaffer, L. M., Cai, S.-D., McKay, D. M., Tintner, R., Frangione, B., Younkin, S. G. (1992) Production of the Alzheimer amyloid β protein by normal proteolytic processing. Science 258, 126–129.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  115. Slack, B. E., Breu, J., Muchnicki, L., Wurtman, R. J. (1997) Rapid stimulation of amyloid precursor protein release by epidermal growth factor: role of protein kinase C. Biochem. J. 327, 245–249.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  116. Smith, R. P., Higuchi, D. A., Broze, G. J. (1990) Platelet coagulation factor XIa-inhibitor, a form of Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein. Science 248, 1126–1128.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  117. Song, W., Lahiri, D. K. (1997) Melatonin alters the metabolism of the beta-amyloid precursor protein in the neuroendocrine cell line PC12. J. Mol. Neurosci. 9, 75–92.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  118. Struble, R. G., Dhanraj, D. N., Mei, Y., Wilson, M., Wang, R., Ramkumar, V. (1998) Beta-amyloid precursor protein-like immunoreactivity is upregulated during olfactory nerve regeneration in adult rats. Brain Res. 780, 129–137.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  119. Sturchler-Pierrat, C., Abramowski, D., Duke, M., Wiederhold, K. H., Mistl, C., Rothacher, S., Ledermann, B., Burki, K., Frey, P., Paganetti, P. A., Waridel, C., Calhoun, M. E., Jucker, M., Probst, A., Staufenbiel, M., Sommer, B. (1997) Two amyloid precursor protein transgenic mouse models with Alzheimer disease-like pathology. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94, 13287–13292.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  120. Tezapsidis, N., Li, H. C., Ripellino, J. A., Efthimiopoulos, S., Vassilacopoulou, D., Sambamurti, K., Toneff, T., Yasothornsrikul, S., Hook, V. Y., Robakis, N. K. (1998) Release of nontransmembrane full-length Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein from the lumenar surface of chromaffin granule membranes. Biochemistry 37, 1274–1282.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  121. Tominaga, K., Uetsuki, T., Ogura, A., Yoshikawa, K. (1997) Glutamate responsiveness enhanced by neurones expressing amyloid precursor protein. Neuroreport 8, 2067–2072.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  122. Tomita, S., Kirino, Y., Suzuki, T. (1998) Cleavage of Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein (APP) by secretases occurs after O-glycosylation of APP in the protein secretory pathway. Identification of intracellular compartments in which APP cleavage occurs without using toxic agents that interfere with protein metabolism. J. biol. Chem. 273, 6277–6284.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  123. Van Nostrand, W. E., Wagner, S. L., Suzuki, M., Choi, B. H., Farrow, J. S., Geddes, J. W., Cotman, C. W. (1989) Protease nexin II, a potent antichymotrypsin, shows identity to amyloid beta-protein precursor. Nature 341, 546–549.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  124. Wallace, W. C., Akar, C. A., Lyons, W. E. (1997) Amyloid precursor protein potentiates the neurotropic activity of NGF. Mol. Brain Res. 52, 201–212.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  125. Wallace, W. C., Akar, C. A., Lyons, W. E., Kole, H. K., Egan, J. M., Wolozin, B. (1997) Amyloid precursor protein requires the insulin signaling pathway for neurotrophic activity. Mol. Brain Res. 52, 213–227.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  126. Waragai, M., Imafuku, I., Takeuchi, S., Kanazawa, I., Oyama, F., Udagawa, Y., Kawabata, M., Ozazawa, H. (1997) Presenilin 1 binds to amyloid precursor protein directly. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 239, 480–482.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  127. Weidemann, A., König, G., Bunke, D., Fischer, P., Masters, C. L., Beyreuther, K. (1989) Identification, biogenesis and localization of precursors of Alzheimer’s disease A4 amyloid protein. Cell 57, 115–126.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  128. Yamazaki, T., Koo, E. H., Selkoe, D. J. (1997) Cell surface amyloid β-protein precursor colocalizes with β1 integrins at substrate contact sites in neural cells. J. Neurosci. 17, 1004–1010.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  129. Yamazaki, T., Selkoe, D. J., Koo, E. H. (1995) Trafficking of cell-surface β-amyloid precursor protein: retrograde and transcytotic transport in cultured neurons. J. Cell Biol. 129, 431–442.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  130. Zhang, F., Eckman, C., Younkin, S., Hsiao, K. K., Iadecola, C. (1997a) Increased susceptibility to ischemic brain damage in transgenic mice overexpressing the amyloid precursor protein. J. Neurosci. 77, 7655–7661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  131. Zhang, W., Espinoza, D., Hines, V., Innis, M., Mehta, P., Miller, D. L. (1997b) Characterization of beta-amyloid peptide precursor processing by the yeast Yap3 and Mkc7 proteases. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1359, 110–122.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Gulya.

Additional information

Dedicated to Professor Peter Kasa on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his appointment as Head of the Central Research Laboratory and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centre.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gulya, K. Biological activities of amyloid precursor protein. BIOLOGIA FUTURA 49, 7–27 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03542974

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03542974

Keywords

Navigation