title: Prion protein (PrPc) promotes beta-amyloid plaque formation.
abstract: Prion protein (PrP) has been localized to amyloid-beta (Abeta) senile plaques in aging and Alzheimer disease, but it is unknown whether PrP is directly involved in plaque formation or represents a reaction to amyloid deposition. To evaluate possible functional effects of PrP in Abeta plaque formation, we analyzed bigenic mice (TgCRND8/Tg7), carrying mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP) 695 (APP(Swed+Ind), TgCRND8) as well as the wild-type Syrian hamster prion protein gene (sHaPrP, Tg7), showing Abeta plaques at 3 months of age as well as highly increased HaPrP(c) levels. Compared to the control group, consisting of animals carrying only mutant APP, bigenic mice showed a higher number of senile plaques in the cerebral cortex, while APP transcription and Abeta40/Abeta42 levels were unchanged. Double-labelling immunofluorescence showed co-localization of Abeta and PrP in virtually all plaques in the brains of both control and experimental animals. Our data suggest that PrP promotes plaque formation, and that this hitherto unknown functional role of PrP appears to be mediated by increased Abeta aggregation rather than by altered APP transcription or processing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwarze-Eicker
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keyvani
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Görtz
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Westaway
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sachser
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Paulus
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D018621:PrPC Proteins; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42)