The amyloid ␤-peptide (A␤) has been suggested to exert its toxicity intracellularly. Mitochondrial functions can be negatively affected by A␤ and accumulation of A␤ has been detected in mitochondria. Because A␤ is not likely to be produced locally in mitochondria, we decided to investigate the mechanisms for mitochondrial A␤ uptake. Our results from rat mitochondria show that A␤ is transported into mitochondria via the translocase of the outer membrane (TOM) machinery. The import was insensitive to valinomycin, indicating that it is independent of the mitochondrial membrane potential. Subfractionation studies following the import experiments revealed A␤ association with the inner membrane fraction, and immunoelectron microscopy after import showed localization of A␤ to mitochondrial cristae. A similar distribution pattern of A␤ in mitochondria was shown by immunoelectron microscopy in human cortical brain biopsies obtained from living subjects with normal pressure hydrocephalus. Thus, we present a unique import mechanism for A␤ in mitochondria and demonstrate both in vitro and in vivo that A␤ is located to the mitochondrial cristae. Importantly, we also show that extracellulary applied A␤ can be internalized by human neuroblastoma cells and can colocalize with mitochondrial markers. Together, these results provide further insight into the mitochondrial uptake of A␤, a peptide considered to be of major significance in Alzheimer's disease.Alzheimer disease ͉ protein import ͉ human brain biopsies T he amyloid-␤ peptide (A␤) is produced by regulated intramembrane proteolysis of the A␤ precursor protein (APP) by the sequential cleavage by ␤-and ␥-secretases (1-2). Plaques consisting mainly of aggregated A␤ are detected in the neuropil in aged subjects and in particular in subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (3-5). Recently, it has been argued that it is A␤ oligomers and fibrils that cause toxicity, loss of synapses, and ultimately neuronal death (6-9). The exact mechanisms of how A␤ damages the neurons are still unknown; however, several lines of evidence implicate that A␤ exerts its toxicity intracellularly (10, 11) and point toward a role of mitochondria in this process (12). It has been reported that mitochondrial A␤ accumulation impairs neuronal function and, thus, contributes to cellular dysfunction in a transgenic APP mouse model (13). It is noteworthy that in AD at an early stage there is already a reduction in the number of mitochondria (14), the brain glucose metabolism is decreased (15), and the activities of both tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes (16) and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) are reduced (17)(18)(19)(20). In vitro studies with isolated mitochondria suggest that A␤ 1-42 inhibits COX activity in a copper-dependent manner (21). Furthermore, mitochondrial A␤-binding alcohol dehydrogenase (ABAD) has been found to be up-regulated in neurons from AD patients (22), and A␤ has been shown to interact with ABAD, resulting in free radical production and neuronal apoptosis. Recently, we have shown that preseque...

It is well-established that subcompartments of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are in physical contact with the mitochondria. These lipid raft-like regions of ER are referred to as mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs), and they play an important role in, for example, lipid synthesis, calcium homeostasis, and apoptotic signaling. Perturbation of MAM function has previously been suggested in Alzheimer's disease (AD) as shown in fibroblasts from AD patients and a neuroblastoma cell line containing familial presenilin-2 AD mutation. The effect of AD pathogenesis on the ER-mitochondria interplay in the brain has so far remained unknown. Here, we studied ERmitochondria contacts in human AD brain and related AD mouse and neuronal cell models. We found uniform distribution of MAM in neurons. Phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting protein-2 and σ1 receptor, two MAM-associated proteins, were shown to be essential for neuronal survival, because siRNA knockdown resulted in degeneration. Up-regulated MAM-associated proteins were found in the AD brain and amyloid precursor protein (APP) Swe/Lon mouse model, in which up-regulation was observed before the appearance of plaques. By studying an ER-mitochondria bridging complex, inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate receptor-voltage-dependent anion channel, we revealed that nanomolar concentrations of amyloid β-peptide increased inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate receptor and voltage-dependent anion channel protein expression and elevated the number of ER-mitochondria contact points and mitochondrial calcium concentrations. Our data suggest an important role of ER-mitochondria contacts and cross-talk in AD pathology.AD mouse models | hippocampal neurons | human cortical brain tissue

Extracellular aggregates of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) are a hallmark in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Recent findings suggest that Aβ is generated intracellularly and potential production sites include endosomes and trans-Golgi network. We determined the production of Aβ in subcellular fractions isolated from mouse brain. We found that a considerable amount of Aβ is produced at mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact sites including outer mitochondrial membrane and mitochondria-associated ER membranes. Enhanced Aβ production at this site may disturb ER, mitochondrial and mitochondria-ER contact site function. This may be one key step in the cascade of events eventually leading to neurodegeneration in AD.

Mitochondria are physically and biochemically in contact with other organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Such contacts are formed between mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAM), specialized subregions of ER, and the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM). We have previously shown increased expression of MAM-associated proteins and enhanced ER to mitochondria Ca 2+ transfer from ER to mitochondria in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyloid b-peptide (Ab)-related neuronal models. Here, we report that siRNA knockdown of mitofusin-2 (Mfn2), a protein that is involved in the tethering of ER and mitochondria, leads to increased contact between the two organelles. Cells depleted in Mfn2 showed increased Ca 2+ transfer from ER to mitchondria and longer stretches of ER forming contacts with OMM. Interestingly, increased contact resulted in decreased concentrations of intra-and extracellular Ab 40 and Ab 42 . Analysis of c-secretase protein expression, maturation and activity revealed that the low Ab concentrations were a result of impaired c-secretase complex function. Amyloid-b precursor protein (APP), b-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 and neprilysin expression as well as neprilysin activity were not affected by Mfn2 siRNA treatment. In summary, our data shows that modulation of ER-mitochondria contact affects c-secretase activity and Ab generation. Increased ER-mitochondria contact results in lower c-secretase activity suggesting a new mechanism by which Ab generation can be controlled.

BackgroundIncreased levels of the pathogenic amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), released from its precursor by the transmembrane protease γ-secretase, are found in Alzheimer disease (AD) brains. Interestingly, monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) activity is also increased in AD brain, but its role in AD pathogenesis is not known. Recent neuroimaging studies have shown that the increased MAO-B expression in AD brain starts several years before the onset of the disease. Here, we show a potential connection between MAO-B, γ-secretase and Aβ in neurons.MethodsMAO-B immunohistochemistry was performed on postmortem human brain. Affinity purification of γ-secretase followed by mass spectrometry was used for unbiased identification of γ-secretase-associated proteins. The association of MAO-B with γ-secretase was studied by coimmunoprecipitation from brain homogenate, and by in-situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) in neurons as well as mouse and human brain sections. The effect of MAO-B on Aβ production and Notch processing in cell cultures was analyzed by siRNA silencing or overexpression experiments followed by ELISA, western blot or FRET analysis. Methodology for measuring relative intraneuronal MAO-B and Aβ42 levels in single cells was developed by combining immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy with quantitative image analysis.ResultsImmunohistochemistry revealed MAO-B staining in neurons in the frontal cortex, hippocampus CA1 and entorhinal cortex in postmortem human brain. Interestingly, the neuronal staining intensity was higher in AD brain than in control brain in these regions. Mass spectrometric data from affinity purified γ-secretase suggested that MAO-B is a γ-secretase-associated protein, which was confirmed by immunoprecipitation and PLA, and a neuronal location of the interaction was shown. Strikingly, intraneuronal Aβ42 levels correlated with MAO-B levels, and siRNA silencing of MAO-B resulted in significantly reduced levels of intraneuronal Aβ42. Furthermore, overexpression of MAO-B enhanced Aβ production.ConclusionsThis study shows that MAO-B levels are increased not only in astrocytes but also in pyramidal neurons in AD brain. The study also suggests that MAO-B regulates Aβ production in neurons via γ-secretase and thereby provides a key to understanding the relationship between MAO-B and AD pathogenesis. Potentially, the γ-secretase/MAO-B association may be a target for reducing Aβ levels using protein–protein interaction breakers.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13195-017-0279-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.