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.
beta-Amyloid peptide (Abeta) is a principal component of parenchymal amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease. Abeta is derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP) by proteolytic cleavage. APP is subject to N- and O-glycosylation and potential tyrosine sulfation, following protein synthesis, and is then thought to be cleaved in an intracellular secretory pathway after or during these post-translational modifications. Studies utilizing agents that affect a series of steps in the protein secretory pathway have identified the possible intracellular sites of APP cleavage and Abeta generation within the protein secretory pathway. In the present study, using cells with normal protein metabolism, but expressing mutant APP with defective O-glycosylation, we demonstrated that the majority of APP cleavage by alpha-, beta-, and gamma-secretases occurs after O-glycosylation. Cells expressing the mutant APP noticeably decreased the generation of the intracellular APP carboxyl-terminal fragment (alphaAPPCOOH), a product of alpha-secretase, and both Abeta40 and Abeta42 in medium, a product of beta- and gamma-secretases. Furthermore, we found that the cells accumulate the mutant APP in intracellular reticular compartments such as the endoplasmic reticulum. Agents that could ambiguously affect the function of specific intracellular organelles and that may be toxic were not used. The present results indicate that APP is cleaved by alpha-, beta-, and gamma-secretases in step(s) during the transport of APP through Golgi complex, where O-glycosylation occurs, or in compartments subsequent to trans-Golgi of the APP secretory pathway.
Tomita
S
S
Laboratory of Neurobiophysics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Kirino
Y
Y
Suzuki
T
T
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D001692:Biological Transport; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D010450:Endopeptidases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C509280:BACE1 protein, human