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Mechanisms of action of amyloid-beta and its precursor protein in neuronal cell death

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Abstract

Extracellular senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles are the neuropathological findings of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Based on the amyloid cascade hypothesis, the main component of senile plaques, the amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide, and its derivative called amyloid precursor protein (APP) both have been found to place their central roles in AD development for years. However, the recent therapeutics have yet to reverse or halt this disease. Previous evidence demonstrates that the accumulation of Aβ peptides and APP can exert neurotoxicity and ultimately neuronal cell death. Hence, we discuss the mechanisms of excessive production of Aβ peptides and APP serving as pathophysiologic stimuli for the initiation of various cell signalling pathways including apoptosis, necrosis, necroptosis and autophagy which lead to neuronal cell death. Conversely, the activation of such pathways could also result in the abnormal generation of APP and Aβ peptides. An elucidation of actions of APP and its metabolite, Aβ, could be vital in suggesting novel therapeutic opportunities.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Alzheimer’s disease

APP :

Amyloid precursor protein

PSEN1/2 :

Presenilin 1/2

:

Amyloid-β

KPI :

Kunitz protease inhibitor

BACE1 :

β-Secretase

sAPPα :

Soluble ectodomain APP

AICD :

APP intracellular domain

AChE :

Acetylcholinesterase

TNF :

Tumour necrosis factor

FasR :

First apoptosis signal receptor

FADD :

Fas-associated death domain

DED :

Death effector domain

DISC :

Death-inducing signalling complex

DR6 :

Death receptor 6

N-APP :

N-Terminus of β-amyloid precursor protein

TRADD :

TNF receptor-associated death domain

RIP :

Receptor-interacting protein

TRAF2 :

TNF receptor-associated factor 2

NF-kB :

Nuclear factor-kappa B

JAK :

Janus Kinase

MOMP :

Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization

MPTP :

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore

VDAC :

Voltage-dependent anion channel

UPR :

Unfolded protein response

PERK :

Pancreatic ER Kinase

ATF :

Activating transcription factor

IRE1 :

Inositol-requiring enzyme 1

GRP78 :

Glucose-related protein 78

eIF2α :

Eukaryotic initiation factor 2α

XBP1 :

X box-binding protein 1

MAPK :

Mitogen-activated protein Kinase

PS1 :

Presenilin 1

MVBs :

Multivesicular bodies

DRMs :

Detergent-resistant membranes

MLKL :

Mixed lineage Kinase domain-like protein

RHIM :

RIP homotypic interaction motif

h-APP :

Full-length APP

24S-OHC :

24(S)-Hydroxycholesterol

ACAT1 :

Acyl-CoA: Cholesterol Acyltransferase 1

ROS :

Reactive oxygen species

RSL3 :

RAS-selective lethal 3

GSH :

Glutathione

GPX4 :

Glutathione peroxidase 4

LOXs :

Lipoxygenases

AIF :

Apoptosis-inducing factor

NOD :

Nucleotide-binding and oligomerization

NLRP :

NOD-, Leucine-rich repeat and Pyrin domain-containing protein

Atg :

Autophagy-related

LC3 :

Light Chain 3

ULK1 :

Unc-51 like autophagy activating Kinase 1

PIK3C3 :

Class 3 phosphoinositide-3-Kinase

UVRAG :

UV irradiation resistance-associated gene

AVs :

Autophagic vacuoles

TRPML1 :

Transient receptor potential mucolipin-1

ALR :

Autophagic lysosome reformation

PPARγ/AMPK/mTOR :

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ/AMP activated protein Kinase/Mammalian target of Rapamycin

PINK1 :

Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog-induced Putative Kinase 1

PK :

Parkin

OPTN :

Optineurin

NDP52 :

Nuclear dot protein 52

v-ATPase :

Vacuolar ATPase

βCTF :

β-C-terminal fragment

αCTF :

α-C-terminal fragment

APLP1 :

Amyloid precursor-like protein 1

JNK :

c-Jun N-terminal Kinase

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia under project FRGS/1/2016/SKK08/IMU/03/3.

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YQL wrote the manuscript. KYN, SMC, APKL and RYK critically reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rhun Yian Koh.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Leong, Y.Q., Ng, K.Y., Chye, S.M. et al. Mechanisms of action of amyloid-beta and its precursor protein in neuronal cell death. Metab Brain Dis 35, 11–30 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-019-00516-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-019-00516-y

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