title: Regulated proteolysis of RAGE and AbetaPP as possible link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Epidemiological studies have linked type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). In T2DM, the elevated blood glucose level promotes formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The receptor for AGEs (RAGE) is a type I membrane-protein and is also able to import amyloid-beta (Abeta) from the blood across the blood-brain-barrier into the brain. Oligomeric Abeta peptides disturb synaptic function in the brain and are believed to contribute to the development of AD. Abeta peptides are released from the amyloid-beta protein precursor (AbetaPP) after sequential proteolysis by beta- and gamma-secretases but alpha-secretase-mediated cleavage of AbetaPP prevents Abeta generation. Insulin influences Abeta production by modulating alpha-secretase activity and Abeta degradation. Recent publications demonstrate that RAGE is subjected to protein ectodomain shedding. Proteolysis of RAGE occurs constitutively and is inducible by activation of protein kinase C. Alpha-secretase-like enzymes release the ligand binding domain of RAGE from the cell surface and after that gamma-secretase processes the membrane-remaining part of RAGE. Proteolysis of RAGE may represent a regulatory mechanism in RAGE signal transduction and in addition may prevent Abeta peptide transport across the blood-brain-barrier. Current data suggest that the sequential proteolysis of RAGE is homologous to AbetaPP processing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. kojro@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kojro
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Postina
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / Q000378:metabolism; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D002784:Cholesterol; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases