Effects of RNAi-mediated silencing of PEN-2, APH-1a, and nicastrin on wild-type vs FAD mutant forms of presenilin 1

The γ-secretase complex consists of PS1/PS2, nicastrin, APH-1a, and PEN-2. PS1 undergoes endoproteolytic processing to yield two fragments: PS1-NTF and PS1-CTF. Changes in PEN-2 levels have been shown previously to affect the endoproteolytic processing of wild-type (wt)-PS1. However, the effects of PEN-2 on the proteolytic processing of familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) mutant forms of PS1 have not yet been reported. To determine whether PEN-2 affects the proteolytic processing of mutant PS1 in the same manner as that of wt-PS1, we established RNA interference (RNAi) for PEN-2 in H4 human neuroglioma cells stably transfected to express wt or FAD mutant forms of PS1 including L286V, A246E, and that lacking exon 9 (Δ9). As expected, in H4 cells expressing wt-PS1, RNAi for PEN-2 increased levels of PS1-FL and attenuated PS1 endoproteolysis. Likewise, in cells expressing PS1 with the FAD missense mutations, L286V and A246E, RNAi for PEN-2 increased PS1-FL and reduced PS1 endoproteolysis. However, in H4 cells stably transfected to express the FAD-linked Δ9 mutation (PS1 lacking exon 9), RNAi for PEN-2 did not increase but, instead, decreased PS1-FL. In contrast, RNAi for nicastrin and APH-1a decreased PS1-FL in H4 cells expressing either wt-PS1 or Δ9-PS1. In summary, the metabolism of wt-PS1 and FAD-linked Δ9-PS1 is specifically and differentially affected by loss of function of PEN-2.