CD147, a gamma-secretase associated protein is upregulated in Alzheimer's disease brain and its cellular trafficking is affected by presenilin-2.

Gamma-secretase activity has been extensively investigated due to its role in Alzheimer's disease. Here, we studied the association of CD147, a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin family, with gamma-secretase and its expression in Alzheimer's disease and control tissues. Subcellular fractionation of postmitochondrial supernatant from rat brain on step iodixanol gradient in combination with co-immunoprecipitation using an anti-nicastrin antibody showed association of limited amount of CD147 to gamma-secretase. By immunoblotting of postnuclear pellets from Alzheimer's disease and control human brain tissues we showed that CD147 with molecular weight 75 kDa is upregulated in frontal cortex and thalamus of the Alzheimer's disease brains. Immunohistochemistry of brain tissues from Alzheimer's disease and control revealed specific upregulation of CD147 in neurons, axons and capillaries of Alzheimer's disease frontal cortex and thalamus. The effect of presenilin-1 and -2, which are the catalytic subunits of gamma-secretase, on CD147 expression and subcellular localization was analyzed by confocal microscopy in combination with flow cytometry and showed that PS2 affected the subcellular localization of CD147 in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. We suggest that a small fraction of CD147 present in the brain is associated with the gamma-secretase, and can be involved in mechanisms dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease brain. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.