Compounds that bind APP and inhibit Abeta processing in vitro suggest a novel approach to Alzheimer disease therapeutics

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 280; no. 18; p. 17792
• Main Authors: Espeseth, Amy S, Xu, Min, Huang, Qian, Coburn, Craig A, Jones, Kristen L G, Ferrer, Marc, Zuck, Paul D, Strulovici, Berta, Price, Eric A, Wu, Guoxin, Wolfe, Abigail L, Lineberger, Janet E, Sardana, Mohinder, Tugusheva, Katherine, Pietrak, Beth L, Crouthamel, Ming-Chih, Lai, Ming-Tain, Dodson, Elizabeth Chen, Bazzo, Renzo, Shi, Xiao-Ping, Simon, Adam J, Li, Yueming, Hazuda, Daria J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 06.05.2005
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Amyloid beta-Peptides - antagonists & inhibitors; Amyloid beta-Peptides - metabolism; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor - metabolism; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases - metabolism; Binding Sites - drug effects; Binding Sites - physiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endopeptidases; HeLa Cells; Humans; Protease Inhibitors - metabolism; Protease Inhibitors - pharmacology; Protease Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Protein Processing, Post-Translational - drug effects
• ISSN: 0021-9258

Extracellular deposits of aggregated amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides are a hallmark of Alzheimer disease; thus, inhibition of Abeta production and/or aggregation is an appealing strategy to thwart the onset and progression of this disease. The release of Abeta requires processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by both beta- and gamma-secretase. Using an assay that incorporates full-length recombinant APP as a substrate for beta-secretase (BACE), we have identified a series of compounds that inhibit APP processing, but do not affect the cleavage of peptide substrates by BACE1. These molecules also inhibit the processing of APP and Abeta by BACE2 and selectively inhibit the production of Abeta(42) species by gamma-secretase in assays using CTF99. The compounds bind directly to APP, likely within the Abeta domain, and therefore, unlike previously described inhibitors of the secretase enzymes, their mechanism of action is mediated through APP. These studies demonstrate that APP binding agents can affect its processing through multiple pathways, providing proof of concept for novel strategies aimed at selectively modulating Abeta production.