Home › Research › Risk genes beyond APOE
Amyloid precursor protein controls cholesterol turnover needed for neuronal activity
Pierrot N, Tyteca D, D'auria L, Dewachter I, Gailly P, Hendrickx A, Tasiaux B, Haylani LE et al.. EMBO molecular medicine, 2013-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Perturbation of lipid metabolism favours progression of Alzheimer disease, in which processing of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) has important implications. APP cleavage is tightly regulated by cholesterol and APP fragments regulate lipid homeostasis. Here, we investigated whether up or down regulation of full-length APP expression affected neuronal lipid metabolism.
Key findings
- APP cleavage is tightly regulated by cholesterol and APP fragments regulate lipid homeostasis.
- Here, we investigated whether up or down regulation of full-length APP expression affected neuronal lipid metabolism.
- Expression of APP decreased HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR)-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis and SREBP mRNA levels, while its down regulation had opposite effects.
- APP and SREBP1 co-immunoprecipitated and co-localized in the Golgi.
Why it matters
This laboratory work found that the amyloid precursor protein helps control cholesterol production in neurons, linking APP processing and lipid metabolism. It was done in cells, so it does not yet show how this could be used to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease in people.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Genetics →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (EMBO molecular medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | EMBO Molecular Medicine: journal h-index 186 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 102 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.8 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 8.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jean‐Noël Octave: h-index 42 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Inserm: institution h-index 1,988 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23554170) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201202215
- PubMed: 23554170
- Original source →
- Free full text: EMBO Molecular Medicine →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Pierrot, N., Tyteca, D., D'auria, L., Dewachter, I., Gailly, P., Hendrickx, A., et al. (2013). Amyloid precursor protein controls cholesterol turnover needed for neuronal activity. EMBO molecular medicine. https://doi.org/10.1002/emmm.201202215
Vancouver
Pierrot N, Tyteca D, D'auria L, Dewachter I, Gailly P, Hendrickx A, et al. Amyloid precursor protein controls cholesterol turnover needed for neuronal activity. EMBO molecular medicine. 2013. doi:10.1002/emmm.201202215. PMID: 23554170.
BibTeX
@article{pierrot2013-23554170,
author = {Pierrot, N. and Tyteca, D. and D'auria, L. and Dewachter, I. and Gailly, P. and Hendrickx, A. and Tasiaux, B. and Haylani, L. E. and others},
title = {{Amyloid precursor protein controls cholesterol turnover needed for neuronal activity}},
journal = {EMBO molecular medicine},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1002/emmm.201202215},
pmid = {23554170},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/emmm.201202215}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 13.
Later studies that cite this one
3 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Risk genes beyond APOE
Also tagged “amyloid-beta”
1,339 studies in the library carry the topic tag “amyloid-beta”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,339 tagged studies.