Mechanistic involvement of the calpain-calpastatin system in Alzheimer neuropathology

Makoto Higuchi, Nobuhisa Iwata, Yukio Matsuba, Jiro Takano, Takahiro Suemoto, Jun Maeda, Bin Ji, Maiko Ono, Matthias Staufenbiel, Tetsuya Suhara, Takaomi C. Saido

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

81 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The mechanism by which amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) accumulation causes neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unresolved. Given that Aβ perturbs calcium homeostasis in neurons, we investigated the possible involvement of calpain, a calcium-activated neutral protease. We first demonstrated close postsynaptic association of calpain activation with Aβ plaque formation in brains from both patients with AD and transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing amyloid precursor protein (APP). Using a viral vector-based tracer, we then showed that axonal termini were dynamically misdirected to calpain activation-positive Aβ plaques. Consistently, cerebrospinal fluid from patients with AD contained a higher level of calpain-cleaved spectrin than that of controls. Genetic deficiency of calpastatin (CS), a calpain-specific inhibitor protein, augmented Aβ amyloidosis, tau phosphorylation, microgliosis, and somatodendritic dystrophy, and increased mortality in APP-Tg mice. In contrast, brain-specific CS overexpression had the opposite effect. These findings implicate that calpain activation plays a pivotal role in the Aβ-triggered pathological cascade, highlighting a target for pharmacological intervention in the treatment of AD.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1204-1217
Number of pages14
JournalFASEB Journal
Volume26
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 03-2012
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biotechnology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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