title: Amyloid precursor protein gene disruption attenuates degeneration of substantia nigra compacta neurons following axotomy.
abstract: Our past work has shown that the C-terminal fragment of amyloid precursor protein (APP) translocated to the nucleus in neurons destined for delayed excitotoxic degeneration. To test whether nuclear APP fragments also play a role in the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) substantia nigra compacta (SNc) neurons, we performed unilateral medial forebrain bundle (MFB) transection on APP wild type (WT) and on mice with disruption of the APP gene (KO). In WT mice immunoreactivity for APP C-terminal, beta-amyloid and Alz90 epitopes appeared in the nuclei of axotomized DA neurons at 3 days post-lesion (dpl), persisted at 7 dpl and was absent in 14 dpl mice. APP N-terminal immunoreactivity was restricted to the cytosol at all time points, precluding the possibility of full length APP in the nucleus. Nuclear localization of APP epitopes was absent in neurons of the contralateral SNc or in neurons of the ipsilateral ventral tegmental area and SN reticulata. The presence of APP C-terminal and Alz90 domains was confirmed by Western blotting performed on the nuclear fraction of the SN ipsilateral to the axotomy. Quantitative morphometric analysis revealed that WT mice demonstrated earlier and more profound loss of tyrosine hydroxylase+SNc neurons than did KO mice. These data showed that a novel nuclear C-terminal fragment appeared coincident with SNc neuron degeneration, and that APP deficiency correlated with significant neuroprotection in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Burke Medical Research Institute, Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, USA. ldegiorg@burke.org
authors.forename: Lorraine A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: DeGiorgio
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hong S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Yoon-Seong
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shuei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugama
authors.forename: Jin H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Tong H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Joh
authors.forename: Bruce T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D003600:Cytosol / Q000737:chemistry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008474:Medial Forebrain Bundle / Q000601:surgery; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase