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Vol. 20, Issue 5, 1533-1544, March 1, 2009

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The Insulin/Akt Signaling Pathway Is Targeted by Intracellular β-Amyloid

Department of Neurology, Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02135

Submitted July 29, 2008; Revised November 20, 2008; Accepted January 5, 2009
Monitoring Editor: M. Bishr Omary

Intraneuronal β-amyloid (Aβ_i) accumulates early in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and inclusion body myositis. Several organelles, receptor molecules, homeostatic processes, and signal transduction components have been identified as sensitive to Aβ. Although prior studies implicate the insulin-PI3K-Akt signaling cascade, a specific step within this or any essential metabolic or survival pathway has not emerged as a molecular target. We tested the effect of Aβ42 on each component of this cascade. In AD brain, the association between PDK and Akt, phospho-Akt levels and its activity were all decreased relative to control. In cell culture, Aβ_i expression inhibited both insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation and activity. In vitro experiments identified that β-amyloid (Aβ), especially oligomer preparations, specifically interrupted the PDK-dependent activation of Akt. Aβ_i also blocked the association between PDK and Akt in cell-based and in vitro experiments. Importantly, Aβ did not interrupt Akt or PI3K activities (once stimulated) nor did it affect more proximal signal events. These results offer a novel therapeutic strategy to neutralize Aβ-induced energy failure and neuronal death.

Address correspondence to: Henry W. Querfurth (henry.querfurth{at}tufts.edu)

Abbreviations used: LY, LY294002; PP2A, protein phosphatase 2A; PLA2, phospholipase A2.

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