Expression of the amyloid precursor protein gene in mouse oocytes and embryos

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is thought to be processed aberrantly to yield the major constituent of the amyloid plaques observed in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome. However, the gene encoding APP is expressed widely in normal human tissues and in adult and fetal mouse tissues and is alternatively spliced in a tissue-specific pattern in the adult. There is evidence that APP may function as a growth factor and as a mediator of cell adhesion and in these roles could be important in morphogenesis. As a step toward determining the role of APP in development and in determining how the adult pattern of tissue-specific splicing is established, we have used reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction to demonstrate APP expression in mouse oocytes, preimplantation embryos, and postimplantation embryonic stages to the late embryonic period. All three splicing forms described in mouse were present at each stage, although there were changes in the ratios of the splicing forms at different stages. Screens for APP clones in embryonic cDNA libraries from the egg cylinder stage and the early somite stage were used to confirm the results of the polymerase chain reaction, and APP clone abundance was found to increase 10-fold between the two stages.

Key findings

• Screens for APP clones in embryonic cDNA libraries from the egg cylinder stage and the early somite stage were used to confirm the results of the polymerase chain reaction, and APP clone abundance was found to increase 10-fold between the two stages.

Why it matters

This study showed that the amyloid precursor protein gene is expressed in mouse oocytes, preimplantation embryos and later embryonic stages, with changes in the ratios of its splicing forms and a 10-fold increase in APP clone abundance between two stages. It is a basic developmental study in mice and does not test or propose any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.

Study details

• Evidence strengthLow

Read the original

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.88.5.1779
• PubMed: 1900367
• Original source →
• Free full text: PubMed Central →

Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).

@article{fisher1991-1900367,
  author  = {Fisher, S. and Gearhart, J. D. and Oster-Granite, M. L.},
  title   = {{Expression of the amyloid precursor protein gene in mouse oocytes and embryos}},
  journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
  year    = {1991},
  doi     = {10.1073/pnas.88.5.1779},
  pmid    = {1900367},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.88.5.1779}
}

Studies this one cites

Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.

• The precursor of Alzheimer's disease amyloid A4 protein resembles a cell-surface receptor Nature · 1987-02-01 · usefulness score 58/100 · Disease mechanisms
• Amyloid beta protein gene: cDNA, mRNA distribution, and genetic linkage near the Alzheimer locus Science (New York, N.Y.) · 1987-02-01 · usefulness score 57/100 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's
• Alzheimer's disease: Initial report of the purification and characterization of a novel cerebrovascular amyloid protein Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · 1984-05-01 · usefulness score 54/100 · Disease mechanisms
• Platelet coagulation factor XIa-inhibitor, a form of Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein Science (New York, N.Y.) · 1990-06-01 · usefulness score 48/100 · Risk genes beyond APOE
• Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding the cerebrovascular and the neuritic plaque amyloid peptides Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 1987-06-01 · usefulness score 45/100 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's
• The mouse homolog of the human amyloid beta protein (AD-AP) gene is located on the distal end of mouse chromosome 16: further extension of the homology between human chromosome 21 and mouse chromosome 16 Biochemical and biophysical research communications · 1987-04-01 · usefulness score 40/100 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

Related studies in Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

• Introduction and expression of the 400 kilobase amyloid precursor protein gene in transgenic mice [corrected] Nature genetics · 1993-09-01 · usefulness score 40/100
• A nuclear factor-binding domain in the 5'-untranslated region of the amyloid precursor protein promoter: implications for the regulation of gene expression BMC research notes · 2010-01-12 · usefulness score 31/100
• Promoter mutations that increase amyloid precursor-protein expression are associated with Alzheimer disease American journal of human genetics · 2006-04-10 · usefulness score 47/100
• Elevated expression of beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 2 in brains of patients with Down syndrome Neuroscience letters · 2002-06-01 · usefulness score 38/100
• Mapping of the gene encoding the beta-amyloid precursor protein and its relationship to the Down syndrome region of chromosome 21 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 1988-11-01 · usefulness score 44/100
• Amyloid beta protein precursor gene and hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis (Dutch) Science (New York, N.Y.) · 1990-06-01 · usefulness score 41/100

Similar studies

• Two amyloid precursor protein transgenic mouse models with Alzheimer disease-like pathology 1997 · Risk genes beyond APOE
• Amyloid precursor protein processing and retinal pathology in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease 2009 · Risk genes beyond APOE
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• Differential processing of amyloid-beta precursor protein directs human embryonic stem cell proliferation and differentiation into neuronal precursor cells 2009 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's
• Amyloid precursor protein processing and A beta42 deposition in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer disease 1997 · Risk genes beyond APOE
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More on Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

• A review that covers this ground Molecular genetics of Alzheimer's disease and the amyloid beta peptide precursor gene Annals of medicine · 1989-01-01 · usefulness score 36/100
• Newest in this subject Differential endothelial cell remodeling in Down syndrome and APP duplication drives distinct blood brain barrier dysfunction bioRxiv · 2026-10-30 · Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed · usefulness score 16/100
• Newest in this subject Memory and Plasma pTau217 Refine Prognosis in Down Syndrome Annals of neurology · 2026-10-02 · Peer-reviewed · usefulness score 47/100

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