Sodium azide and 2-deoxy-D-glucose-induced cellular stress affects phosphorylation-dependent AbetaPP processing

Production of the amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide via altered metabolism of the amyloid beta-Protein Precursor (AbetaPP) appears to be a key event in the pathology of Alzheimer Disease (AD). Accordingly, altered processing of AbetaPP was observed under conditions of abnormal cellular stress induced by sodium azide in the presence of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG). As previously reported, the production of sAbetaPP (the secreted fragment of AbetaPP) was inhibited. However, our data further suggests that 2DG alone can account for most of the observed effects on AbetaPP processing in COS-1 cells and PC12 cells. It appears that 2DG interferes with the normal glycosylation of AbetaPP and its maturation process, having direct consequences on sAbetaPP production. Interestingly, PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate)-induced sAbetaPP production was maintained under the stress conditions used, suggesting that potential non-amyloidogenic AbetaPP processing can still be favoured. This is of potential therapeutic interest, since it indicates that even under adverse stress conditions drugs such as PMA can affect AbetaPP processing, leading to increased sAbetaPP production and a concomitant reduction in Abeta production. However, the induction of sAbetaPP production was not identical when the phosphatase inhibitor OA (okadaic acid) was used. In fact, the typical OA-induced increase in sAbetaPP production could be abolished under specific conditions. This constitutes an interesting precedent for the possible dissociation of the PMA and OA responses in terms of sAbetaPP production. The involvement of protein phosphatases, which are inhibited by OA, inbetaPP processing, was reinforced by the increased co-localization of AbetaPP and PP1alpha (protein phosphatase 1alpha) at the cell surface upon exposure to OA and PMA. Overall, our results support the notion that signal transduction processes may be of particular relevance for our understanding of the molecular basis of AD, and for the design of rational signal transduction therapeutics.