Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
07:55
Imaging the Intracellular Trafficking of APP with Photoactivatable GFP
Published on: October 17, 2015
Valosin-containing Protein is cargo in Amyloid Precursor Protein extracellular vesicles
Yue Lu1, Mohammad Abdullah1, Liam R Healy1
1Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience New Jersey Medical School, Brain Health Institute, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
Cell Communication and Signaling : CCS
|May 14, 2026
Summary
Researchers found that the Valosin-containing protein (Vcp) is present in extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by neurons. Modulating Vcp affects Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) processing and EV secretion, offering insights into Alzheimer's disease (AD) mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) is implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis.
- APP is processed within the endolysosomal system and secreted via extracellular vesicles (EVs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of APP-containing EVs.
- To identify molecular cargo within APP-EVs and their role in AD.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of APP-containing EVs from rat primary neuronal conditioned media.
- Proteomic analysis to identify EV cargo.
- Pharmacological modulation of Valosin-containing protein (Vcp) activity.
- Analysis of APP processing and EV secretion.
- Assessment of AD-associated APP mutations' effects on App-EVs.
Main Results:
- Valosin-containing protein (Vcp) was identified as molecular cargo in APP-EVs.
- Vcp activity modulation altered APP processing and global EV secretion in neurons.
- AD-associated APP mutations affected App-EV abundance and metabolite trafficking within App-EVs.
Conclusions:
- Vcp plays a role in APP processing and EV secretion.
- APP-EVs and their cargo, like Vcp, are involved in AD pathogenesis.
- APP mutations associated with AD impact App-EV dynamics and metabolite handling.
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