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Nature Research, Nature Medicine, 1(19), p. 43-49, 2012

DOI: 10.1038/nm.3023

BioMed Central, Molecular Neurodegeneration, Suppl 1(8), p. P41

DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-8-s1-p41

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β-arrestin 2 regulates Aβ generation and γ-secretase activity in Alzheimer’s disease

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

β-arrestins are associated with numerous aspects of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling and regulation and accordingly influence diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes. Here we report that β-arrestin 2 expression is elevated in two independent cohorts of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Overexpression of β-arrestin 2 leads to an increase in amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide generation, whereas genetic silencing of Arrb2 (encoding β-arrestin 2) reduces generation of Aβ in cell cultures and in Arrb2(-/-) mice. Moreover, in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, genetic deletion of Arrb2 leads to a reduction in the production of Aβ(40) and Aβ(42). Two GPCRs implicated previously in Alzheimer's disease (GPR3 and the β(2)-adrenergic receptor) mediate their effects on Aβ generation through interaction with β-arrestin 2. β-arrestin 2 physically associates with the Aph-1a subunit of the γ-secretase complex and redistributes the complex toward detergent-resistant membranes, increasing the catalytic activity of the complex. Collectively, these studies identify β-arrestin 2 as a new therapeutic target for reducing amyloid pathology and GPCR dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.