title: Generation of beta-amyloid in the secretory pathway in neuronal and nonneuronal cells.
abstract: The cellular mechanism underlying the generation of beta-amyloid in Alzheimer disease and its relationship to the normal metabolism of the amyloid precursor protein are unknown. In this report, we show that 3- and 4-kDa peptides derived from amyloid precursor protein are normally secreted. Epitope mapping and radiolabel sequence analysis suggest that the 4-kDa peptide is closely related to full-length beta-amyloid and the 3-kDa species is a heterogeneous set of peptides truncated at the beta-amyloid N terminus. The beta-amyloid peptides are secreted in parallel with amyloid precursor protein. Inhibitors of Golgi processing inhibit secretion of beta-amyloid peptides, whereas lysosomal inhibitors have no effect. The secretion of beta-amyloid-related peptides occurs in a wide variety of cell types, but which peptides are produced and their absolute levels are dependent on cell type. Human astrocytes generated higher levels of beta-amyloid than any other cell type examined. These results suggest that beta-amyloid is generated in the secretory pathway and provide evidence that glial cells are a major source of beta-amyloid production in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Busciglio
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gabuzda
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Matsudaira
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Yankner
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012995:Solubility; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins