IGF-1-induced processing of the amyloid precursor protein family is mediated by different signaling pathways

The mammalian amyloid precursor protein (APP) protein family consists of the APP and the amyloid precursor-like proteins 1 and 2 (APLP1 and APLP2). The neurotoxic amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) originates from APP, which is the only member of this protein family implicated in Alzheimer disease. However, the three homologous proteins have been proposed to be processed in similar ways and to have essential and overlapping functions. Therefore, it is also important to take into account the effects on the processing and function of the APP-like proteins in the development of therapeutic drugs aimed at decreasing the production of Abeta. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been shown to regulate APP processing and the levels of Abeta in the brain. In the present study, we show that IGF-1 increases alpha-secretase processing of endogenous APP and also increases ectodomain shedding of APLP1 and APLP2 in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. We also investigated the role of different IGF-1-induced signaling pathways, using specific inhibitors for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Our results indicate that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is involved in ectodomain shedding of APP and APLP1, but not APLP2, and that MAPK is involved only in the ectodomain shedding of APLP1.