title: Transforming growth factor beta2 is a neuronal death-inducing ligand for amyloid-beta precursor protein.
abstract: APP, amyloid beta precursor protein, is linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have here found that transforming growth factor beta2 (TGFbeta2), but not TGFbeta1, binds to APP. The binding affinity of TGFbeta2 to APP is lower than the binding affinity of TGFbeta2 to the TGFbeta receptor. On binding to APP, TGFbeta2 activates an APP-mediated death pathway via heterotrimeric G protein G(o), c-Jun N-terminal kinase, NADPH oxidase, and caspase 3 and/or related caspases. Overall degrees of TGFbeta2-induced death are larger in cells expressing a familial AD-related mutant APP than in those expressing wild-type APP. Consequently, superphysiological concentrations of TGFbeta2 induce neuronal death in primary cortical neurons, whose one allele of the APP gene is knocked in with the V642I mutation. Combined with the finding indicated by several earlier reports that both neural and glial expression of TGFbeta2 was upregulated in AD brains, it is speculated that TGFbeta2 may contribute to the development of AD-related neuronal cell death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, KEIO University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Mikiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nawa
authors.forename: Kohsuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanekura
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kenzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terashita
authors.forename: Sadakazu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aiso
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nishimoto
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009154:Mutation; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D008024:Ligands; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; C509041:TGFB2 protein, human; C508961:Tgfb1 protein, mouse; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go