Pin1 protein associates with neuronal lipofuscin: potential consequences in age-related neurodegeneration

Exp Neurol. 2006 Jun;199(2):328-38. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2005.12.030. Epub 2006 Feb 14.

Abstract

Pin1 protein is a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase that modulates the activity of a range of proteins involved in cell function. We and others have demonstrated neuronal Pin1 deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and have shown similar deficits in frontotemporal dementia and in aging. Pin1 may, in fact, be a susceptibility factor; others have shown that Pin1 depletion causes apoptosis in HeLa cells. Further, patterns of AD pathology correlate with regions of lower Pin1 expression in normal human brain; Pin1 knockout mice suffer neurodegeneration; and Pin1 can ameliorate p-tau pathology by isomerizing p-tau, facilitating its trans-specific dephosphorylation and restoring its ability to bind to and restabilize microtubules and thence cytoskeletal integrity. Here, we report a novel localization of high levels of Pin1 with lipofuscin in aging neurons. This association could progressively drain available Pin1 and be deleterious to neuronal function during aging. We also show that Pin1 associates with lipofuscin when lipofuscin accumulations become marked and correlate with susceptibility to neurodegenerative disease. Our data are consistent with the possibility that neuronal Pin1 deficits may be a contributory factor in neurodegeneration associated with aging.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / metabolism*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Dementia / metabolism
  • Dementia / pathology*
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique / methods
  • Humans
  • Indoles
  • Lipofuscin / metabolism*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / methods
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Neurons / ultrastructure
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / metabolism*
  • Postmortem Changes
  • Protein Binding / drug effects
  • Protein Binding / physiology

Substances

  • Indoles
  • Lipofuscin
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • DAPI
  • PIN1 protein, human
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Pin1 protein, mouse