Emerging roles of ER stress in the etiology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease

• Published in: The FEBS journal Vol. 285; no. 6; pp. 995 - 1011
• Main Authors: Gerakis, Yannis, Hetz, Claudio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2018
• Subjects: Accumulation; aging; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides - metabolism; Animals; Apoptosis; Endoplasmic reticulum; Endoplasmic Reticulum - metabolism; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; ER stress; Etiology; Gene therapy; Homeostasis; Humans; Memory; Models, Biological; Neurodegeneration; Neurodegenerative diseases; Pathogenesis; Peptides; Pharmacology; Protein folding; Proteins; proteostasis; Secretion; Signal Transduction; Signaling; Stress; Stresses; Synaptic plasticity; Tau protein; Unfolded Protein Response; UPR; memory; UPR; ER stress; neurodegeneration; aging; proteostasis; Alzheimer's disease
• ISSN: 1742-464X; 1742-4658
• DOI: 10.1111/febs.14332

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by synaptic dysfunction and accumulation of abnormal aggregates formed by amyloid‐β peptides or phosphorylated tau proteins. Accumulating evidence suggests that alterations in the buffering capacity of the proteostasis network are a salient feature of AD. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the main compartment involved in protein folding and secretion and is drastically affected in AD neurons. ER stress triggers the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), a signal transduction pathway that enforces adaptive programs to recover homeostasis or trigger apoptosis of irreversibly damaged cells. Experimental manipulation of specific UPR signaling modules in preclinical models of AD has revealed a key role of this pathway in regulating protein misfolding and neurodegeneration. Recent studies suggest that the UPR also influences synaptic plasticity and memory through ER stress‐independent mechanisms. Consequently, targeting of the UPR in AD is emerging as an interesting therapeutic approach to modify the two pillars of AD, protein misfolding and synaptic failure. Here, we review the functional role of ER stress signaling in AD, discussing the complex involvement of the pathway in controlling neuronal survival, the amyloid cascade, neurodegeneration and synaptic function. Recent intervention efforts to target the UPR with pharmacological and gene therapy strategies are also discussed. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated in the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. In turn, the UPR can influence molecular pathways related to major AD features. Recent studies suggest an involvement of the UPR in synaptic failure independently of its canonical role on proteostasis control.