Regulation of secretion of Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein by the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade.

Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) regulates the processing of Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP) into its soluble form (sAPP) and amyloid beta-peptide (A beta). However, little is known about the intermediate steps between PKC activation and modulation of APP metabolism. Using a specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase activation (PD 98059), as well as a dominant negative mutant of MAP kinase kinase, we show in various cell lines that stimulation of PKC by phorbol ester rapidly induces sAPP secretion through a mechanism involving activation of the MAP kinase cascade. In PC12-M1 cells, activation of MAP kinase by nerve growth factor was associated with stimulation of sAPP release. Conversely, M1 muscarinic receptor stimulation, which is known to act in part through a PKC-independent pathway, increased sAPP secretion mainly through a MAP kinase-independent pathway. A beta secretion and its regulation by PKC were not affected by PD 98059, supporting the concept of distinct secretory pathways for A beta and sAPP formation.