Enhanced amyloid-β generation by γ-secretase complex in DRM microdomains with reduced cholesterol levels

A neuropathologic hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the presence of senile plaques that contain neurotoxic amyloid-β protein (Aβ) species, which are generated by the cleavage of amyloid β-protein precursor by secretases such as the γ-secretase complex, preferentially located in detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) regions and comprising endoproteolysed amino- and carboxy-terminal fragments of presenilin, nicastrin, anterior pharynx defective 1 and presenilin enhancer 2. Whereas some of familial AD patients harbor causative PSEN mutations that lead to more generation of neurotoxic Aβ42, the contribution of Aβ generation to sporadic/late-onset AD remains unclear. We found that the carboxy-terminal fragment of presenilin 1 was redistributed from DRM regions to detergent-soluble membrane (non-DRM) regions in brain tissue samples from individuals with sporadic AD. DRM fractions from AD brain sample had the ability to generate significantly more Aβ and had a lower cholesterol content than DRM fractions from non-demented control subjects. We further demonstrated that lowering the cholesterol content of DRM regions from cultured cells contributed to the redistribution of γ-secretase components and Aβ production. Taken together, the present analyses suggest that the lowered cholesterol content in DRM regions may be a cause of sporadic/late-onset AD by enhancing overall Aβ generation.