A disintegrin-metalloproteinase prevents amyloid plaque formation and hippocampal defects in an Alzheimer disease mouse model

Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by excessive deposition of amyloid beta-peptides (A beta peptides) in the brain. In the nonamyloidogenic pathway, the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved by the alpha-secretase within the A beta peptide sequence. Proteinases of the ADAM family (adisintegrin and metalloproteinase) are the main candidates as physiologically relevant alpha-secretases, but early lethality of knockout animals prevented a detailed analysis in neuronal cells. To overcome this restriction, we have generated transgenic mice that overexpress either ADAM10 or a catalytically inactive ADAM10 mutant. In this report we show that a moderate neuronal overexpression of ADAM10 i…

ADAM10, myelin-associated metalloendopeptidase

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structural chemistry and the biological aspects of ADAM10. Originally, ADAM10 was characterized as a myelin-associated metalloproteinase. After cloning the bovine ADAM10 cDNA, the deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the enzyme belonged to the reprolysin subfamily and therefore was named MADM (mammalian disintegrin metalloprotease). The mammalian reprolysin subfamily has been named ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) and MADM has been designated ADAM10. The ADAM10 homologs in Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans are named kuzbanian and sup-17, respectively. The enzymatic activity of isolated ADAM10 can be monitored in v…

Crosstalk between angiotensin and the nonamyloidogenic pathway of Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein.

The association between hypertension and an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia is well established. Many data suggest that modulation of the renin-angiotensin system may be meaningful for the prevention and therapy of neurodegenerative disorders, in particular AD. Proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by α-secretase precludes formation of neurotoxic Aβ peptides and is expected to counteract the development of AD. An established approach for the up-regulation of α-secretase cleavage is the activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Therefore, our study aimed to analyze whether stimulation of angiotensin AT1 or AT2 receptors stably expressed…

Up-regulation of the α-Secretase Pathway

Structural requirements for V2 vasopressin receptor proteolytic cleavage.

The ligand-induced proteolytic cleavage of the V2 vasopressin receptor transiently expressed in COS cells was investigated. After incubation of the cell membranes with a photoreactive ligand possessing full agonistic properties for V2 receptors, approximately 90% of the porcine and bovine V2 vasopressin receptors were cleaved in the upper part of transmembrane helix 2 at a heptapeptide sequence conserved in both vasopressin and oxytocin receptors. The oxytocin receptor was completely resistant to proteolysis after binding the same photoreactive ligand, which is only a partial agonist for this receptor. Chimeric V2/oxytocin receptors obtained by transfer of extracellular domains of the oxyto…

The disintegrin ADAM9 indirectly contributes to the physiological processing of cellular prion by modulating ADAM10 activity

The cellular prion protein (PrP(c)) is physiologically cleaved in the middle of its 106-126 amino acid neurotoxic region at the 110/111 downward arrow112 peptidyl bond, yielding an N-terminal fragment referred to as N1. We recently demonstrated that two disintegrins, namely ADAM10 and ADAM17 (TACE, tumor necrosis factor alpha converting enzyme) participated in both constitutive and protein kinase C-regulated generation of N1, respectively. These proteolytic events were strikingly reminiscent of those involved in the so-called "alpha-secretase pathway" that leads to the production of secreted sAPPalpha from betaAPP. We show here, by transient and stable transfection analyses, that ADAM9 also…

Shedding of the amyloid precursor protein-like protein APLP2 by disintegrin-metalloproteinases

Cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) within the amyloid-beta (Aβ) sequence by the α-secretase prevents the formation of toxic Aβ peptides. It has been shown that the disintegrin-metalloproteinases ADAM10 and TACE (ADAM17) act as α-secretases and stimulate the generation of a soluble neuroprotective fragment of APP, APPsα. Here we demonstrate that the related APP-like protein 2 (APLP2), which has been shown to be essential for development and survival of mice, is also a substrate for both proteinases. Overexpression of either ADAM10 or TACE in HEK293 cells increased the release of neurotrophic soluble APLP2 severalfold. The strongest inhibition of APLP2 shedding in neuroblastoma c…

Correction: Ectodomain shedding of L1 adhesion molecule promotes cell migration by autocrine binding to integrins

Constitutive and regulated α-secretase cleavage of Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein by a disintegrin metalloprotease

Amyloid β peptide (Aβ), the principal proteinaceous component of amyloid plaques in brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients, is derived by proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Proteolytic cleavage of APP by a putative α-secretase within the Aβ sequence precludes the formation of the amyloidogenic peptides and leads to the release of soluble APPsα into the medium. By overexpression ofa disintegrinandmetalloprotease (ADAM), classified as ADAM 10, in HEK 293 cells, basal and protein kinase C-stimulated α-secretase activity was increased severalfold. The proteolytically activated form of ADAM 10 was localized by cell surface biotinylation in the plasma membrane, but the m…

A Closer Look at α-Secretase

Accumulation of amyloid beta-peptides (Abeta) in the brain is believed to contribute to the development of Alzheimer disease (AD). Abeta, a 40-42 amino acid-comprising proteolytical fragment of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), is released from APP by sequential cleavages via beta- and gamma-secretases. However, the predominant route of APP processing consists of successive cleavages by alpha- and gamma-secretases. Alpha-secretase attacks APP inside the Abeta sequence, and therefore prevents formation of neurotoxic Abeta. After cleavage by alpha-secretase, the soluble N-terminal domain of APP, which possesses neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties, is released. In AD patients, a dec…

Melatonin stimulates the nonamyloidogenic processing ofβAPP through the positive transcriptional regulation of ADAM10 and ADAM17

Melatonin controls many physiological functions including regulation of the circadian rhythm and clearance of free radicals and neuroprotection. Importantly, melatonin levels strongly decrease as we age and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) display lower melatonin than age-matched controls. Several studies have reported that melatonin can reduce aggregation and toxicity of amyloid-β peptides that are produced from the β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP). However, whether melatonin can directly regulate the βAPP-cleaving proteases ('secretases') has not been investigated so far. In this study, we establish that melatonin stimulates the α-secretase cleavage of βAPP in cultured neuronal an…

The substrate degradome of meprin metalloproteases reveals an unexpected proteolytic link between meprin β and ADAM10

The in vivo roles of meprin metalloproteases in pathophysiological conditions remain elusive. Substrates define protease roles. Therefore, to identify natural substrates for human meprin α and β we employed TAILS (terminal amine isotopic labeling of substrates), a proteomics approach that enriches for N-terminal peptides of proteins and cleavage fragments. Of the 151 new extracellular substrates we identified, it was notable that ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain-containing protein 10)—the constitutive α-secretase—is activated by meprin β through cleavage of the propeptide. To validate this cleavage event, we expressed recombinant proADAM10 and after preincubation with meprin…

Activation of α-secretase cleavage

Alpha-secretase-mediated cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) releases the neuroprotective APP fragment sαAPP and prevents amyloid β peptide (Aβ) generation. Moreover, α-secretase-like cleavage of the Aβ transporter 'receptor for advanced glycation end products' counteracts the import of blood Aβ into the brain. Assuming that Aβ is responsible for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), activation of α-secretase should be preventive. α-Secretase-mediated APP cleavage can be activated via several G protein-coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases. Protein kinase C, mitogen-activated protein kinases, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, cAMP and calcium are activators of rece…

α-Secretase Activity of the Disintegrin Metalloprotease ADAM 10: Influences of Domain Structure

Disintegrin metalloproteases from different organisms form the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family. All members display a common domain organization and possess four potential functions: proteolysis, cell adhesion, cell fusion, and cell signaling. Members of the ADAM family are responsible for the proteolytic cleavage of transmembrane proteins and release of their extracellular domain. The proteolytic process is referred to as ectodomain shedding, which is activated by phorbol esters and inhibited by hydroxamic acid-based inhibitors. We have shown that the disintegrin metalloprotease ADAM 10 has both constitutive and regulated alpha-secretase activity. Expression of a dominant n…

Statins and the squalene synthase inhibitor zaragozic acid stimulate the non-amyloidogenic pathway of amyloid-beta protein precursor processing by suppression of cholesterol synthesis.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins influence the proteolytic processing of the amyloid-beta protein precursor (AbetaPP) and are reported to stimulate the activity of alpha-secretase, the major preventive secretase of Alzheimer's disease. Statins can increase the alpha-secretase activity by their cholesterol-lowering properties as well as by impairment of isoprenoids synthesis. In the present study, we elucidate the contribution of these pathways in alpha-secretase activation. We demonstrate that zaragozic acid, a potent inhibitor of squalene synthase which blocks cholesterol synthesis but allows synthesis of isoprenoids, also stimulates alpha-secretase activity. Treatment of human n…

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme is processed by proprotein-convertases to its mature form which is degraded upon phorbol ester stimulation

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE or ADAM17) is a member of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) family of type I membrane proteins and mediates the ectodomain shedding of various membrane-anchored signaling and adhesion proteins. TACE is synthesized as an inactive zymogen, which is subsequently proteolytically processed to the catalytically active form. We have identified the proprotein-convertases PC7 and furin to be involved in maturation of TACE. This maturation is negatively influenced by the phorbol ester phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), which decreases the cellular amount of the mature form of TACE in PMA-treated HEK293 and SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore…

Misfolded vasopressin V2 receptors caused by extracellular point mutations entail congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Vasopressin V2 receptor mutants from three different patients with congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus phenotypes were investigated after expression in COS cells. The amino acid exchanges within the human V2 receptor are located in the second extracellular loop (T204N, Y205C and V206D). Confocal microscopy showed that all receptor mutants were strongly expressed but mainly located within the cell. Residual binding capacity for the antidiuretic hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP) could only be detected for the T204N mutant and was 10-fold lower than for the wild-type receptor. Stimulation of transfected cells with 1 microM AVP showed that the T204N mutant was able to activate the adenyl…

[S2‐01‐01]: Alpha‐secretase as a therapeutic target

Regulation of the alpha-secretase ADAM10 by its prodomain and proprotein convertases.

SPECIFIC AIMSTo identify the proprotein convertases responsible for maturation of the α-secretase ADAM10, we investigated the influence of PC7 and furin on ADAM10 processing and the resulting effect on amyloid precursor protein cleavage. We also examined the functional role of the ADAM10 prodomain by coexpression of a prodomain-deleted ADAM10 mutant together with its prodomain in trans.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS1. ADAM10 is proteolytically processed by PC7 and furinThe disintegrin metalloproteinase ADAM10 possesses α-secretase activity as well as a potential proprotein convertase recognition sequence (RKKR) after its prodomain. By amino-terminal sequencing of ADAM10 purified from bovine kidney plas…

Regulated Proteolysis of RAGE and AβPP as Possible Link Between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Alzheimer's Disease

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…

Induction of RAGE Shedding by Activation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors

The multiligand Receptor for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) is involved in various pathophysiological processes, including diabetic inflammatory conditions and Alzheimers disease. Full-length RAGE, a cell surface-located type I membrane protein, can proteolytically be converted by metalloproteinases ADAM10 and MMP9 into a soluble RAGE form. Moreover, administration of recombinant soluble RAGE suppresses activation of cell surface-located RAGE by trapping RAGE ligands. Therefore stimulation of RAGE shedding might have a therapeutic value regarding inflammatory diseases. We aimed to investigate whether RAGE shedding is inducible via ligand-induced activation of G protein-coupled recep…

Alpha-secretase activation--an approach to Alzheimer's disease therapy.

The nonamyloidogenic pathway of processing the amyloid precursor protein (APP) involves the cleavage within the amyloid-beta peptide sequence, and thus precludes amyloid-beta formation. The identification of a member of the disintegrin and metalloproteinase family, ADAM10, as an alpha-secretase that prevents plaque formation and hippocampal deficits in vivo gave us the possibility to examine the alpha-secretase as a potential target for the therapy of Alzheimer's disease. Within the priority program Cellular Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Disease, we investigated several approaches to stimulate the alpha-secretase pathway. Two protein convertases were found to be responsible for the removal of t…

P4–256: PACAP peptides as new α–secretase activators

Amphiphilic Copolymers Shuttle Drugs Across the Blood-Brain Barrier.

Medical treatment of diseases of the central nervous system requires transport of drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Here, it is extended previously in vitro experiments with a model compound to show that the non-water-soluble and brain-impermeable drug domperidone (DOM) itself can be enriched in the brain by use of an amphiphilic copolymer as a carrier. This carrier consists of poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-methacrylamide), statistically copolymerized with 10 mol% hydrophobic lauryl methacrylate, into whose micellar aggregates DOM is noncovalently absorbed. As tested in a BBB model efficient transport of DOM across, the BBB is achievable over a wide range of formulations, containing 0.…

Synthesis of Maleimide-Functionalyzed HPMA-Copolymers and in vitro Characterization of the aRAGE- and Human Immunoglobulin (huIgG)-Polymer Conjugates

Herein the synthesis of antibody–polymer conjugates, with a quite narrow dispersity based on the polymer HPMA, are reported. These conjugates are synthesized by coupling antibodies to maleimide-functionalized poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-methacrylamide) (poly-HPMA) copolymers derived through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of pentafluorophenyl methacrylate via the intermediate step of an activated ester polymer. We develop a protocol that allows the attachment of two different model antibodies, monoclonal anti-RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end-products) antibody, and polyclonal human immunoglobulin (huIgG). Modification of the antibody and conjugat…

Receptor for advanced glycation end products is subjected to protein ectodomain shedding by metalloproteinases.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a 55-kDa type I membrane glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Ligand-induced up-regulation of RAGE is involved in various pathophysiological processes, including late diabetic complications and Alzheimer disease. Application of recombinant soluble RAGE has been shown to block RAGE-mediated pathophysiological conditions. After expression of full-length RAGE in HEK cells we identified a 48-kDa soluble RAGE form (sRAGE) in the culture medium. This variant of RAGE is smaller than a 51-kDa soluble version derived from alternative splicing. The release of sRAGE can be induced by the phorbol ester PMA and the calcium ionophore c…

Statins stimulate the production of a soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end products

The beneficial effects of statin therapy in the reduction of cardiovascular pathogenesis, atherosclerosis, and diabetic complications are well known. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) plays an important role in the progression of these diseases. In contrast, soluble forms of RAGE act as decoys for RAGE ligands and may prevent the development of RAGE-mediated disorders. Soluble forms of RAGE are either produced by alternative splicing [endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE)] or by proteolytic shedding mediated by metalloproteinases [shed RAGE (sRAGE)]. Therefore we analyzed whether statins influence the production of soluble RAGE. Lovastatin treatment of either mouse alveol…

Amphiphilic HPMA-LMA copolymers increase the transport of Rhodamine 123 across a BBB model without harming its barrier integrity.

Abstract The successful non-invasive treatment of diseases associated with the central nervous system (CNS) is generally limited by poor brain permeability of various developed drugs. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) prevents the passage of therapeutics to their site of action. Polymeric drug delivery systems are promising solutions to effectively transport drugs into the brain. We recently showed that amphiphilic random copolymers based on the hydrophilic p(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-methacrylamide), pHPMA, possessing randomly distributed hydrophobic p(laurylmethacrylate), pLMA, are able to mediate delivery of domperidone into the brain of mice in vivo. To gain further insight into structure–propert…

Ectodomain shedding of L1 adhesion molecule promotes cell migration by autocrine binding to integrins.

The L1 adhesion molecule plays an important role in axon guidance and cell migration in the nervous system. L1 is also expressed by many human carcinomas. In addition to cell surface expression, the L1 ectodomain can be released by a metalloproteinase, but the biological function of this process is unknown. Here we demonstrate that membrane-proximal cleavage of L1 can be detected in tumors and in the developing mouse brain. The shedding of L1 involved a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)10, as transfection with dominant-negative ADAM10 completely abolishes L1 release. L1-transfected CHO cells (L1-CHO) showed enhanced haptotactic migration on fibronectin and laminin, which was blocked …

Dissecting the role of ADAM10 as a mediator of Staphylococcus aureus α-toxin action

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of bacterial infections in humans, including life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia and sepsis. Its small membrane-pore-forming α-toxin is considered an important virulence factor. By destroying cell–cell contacts through cleavage of cadherins, the metalloproteinase ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10) critically contributes to α-toxin-dependent pathology of experimental S. aureus infections in mice. Moreover, ADAM10 was proposed to be a receptor for α-toxin. However, it is unclear whether the catalytic activity or specific domains of ADAM10 are involved in mediating binding and/or subsequent cytotoxicity of α-toxin. Also, it is not k…

The neuropeptide PACAP promotes ?‐secretase pathway for processing Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein

SPECIFIC AIMSProteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by α-secretase within the Aβ sequence precludes formation of amyloidogenic peptides and leads to a release of soluble APPsα,...

Genomic structure and functional characterization of the human ADAM10 promoter

The ADAM10 gene encodes a membrane-bound disintegrin-metalloproteinase, which, after overexpression in an Alzheimer disease (AD) mouse model, prevents amyloid pathology and improves long-term potentiation and memory. Because enhancing ADAM10 expression appears to be a reasonable approach for treatment of AD, we functionally analyzed the ADAM10 gene. Both human and mouse ADAM10 genes comprise approximately 160 kbp, are composed of 16 exons, and are evolutionarily highly conserved within 500 bp upstream of either translation initiation site. By using luciferase reporter assays, we demonstrate that nucleotides -2179 to -1 upstream of the human ADAM10 translation initiation site represent a fun…