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Release of Alzheimer amyloid precursor derivatives stimulated by activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors
Nitsch RM, Slack BE, Wurtman RJ, Growdon JH.. Science (New York, N.Y.), 1992-10-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Altered processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a central event in the formation of amyloid deposits in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. To investigate whether cellular APP processing is controlled by cell-surface neurotransmitter receptors, human embryonic kidney (293) cell lines were transfected with the genes for human brain muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Stimulation of m1 and m3 receptor subtypes with carbachol increased the basal release of APP derivatives within minutes of treatment, indicating that preexisting APP is released in response to receptor activation.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Nitsch, R. M., Slack, B. E., Wurtman, R. J., & Growdon, J. H. (1992). Release of Alzheimer amyloid precursor derivatives stimulated by activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Science (New York, N.Y.). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1411529
Vancouver
Nitsch RM, Slack BE, Wurtman RJ, Growdon JH. Release of Alzheimer amyloid precursor derivatives stimulated by activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Science (New York, N.Y.). 1992. doi:10.1126/science.1411529. PMID: 1411529.
BibTeX
@article{nitsch1992-1411529,
author = {Nitsch, R. M. and Slack, B. E. and Wurtman, R. J. and Growdon, J. H.},
title = {{Release of Alzheimer amyloid precursor derivatives stimulated by activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors}},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
year = {1992},
doi = {10.1126/science.1411529},
pmid = {1411529},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1411529}
}
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Key findings
- To investigate whether cellular APP processing is controlled by cell-surface neurotransmitter receptors, human embryonic kidney (293) cell lines were transfected with the genes for human brain muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.
- Stimulation of m1 and m3 receptor subtypes with carbachol increased the basal release of APP derivatives within minutes of treatment, indicating that preexisting APP is released in response to receptor activation.
- Receptor-activated APP release was blocked by staurosporine, suggesting that protein kinases mediate neurotransmitter receptor-controlled APP processing.
Why it matters
In cell lines, stimulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors increased the release of amyloid precursor protein derivatives. These were cell-based experiments, so it is not yet known whether this mechanism could be used to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease in people.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a top-tier journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (Science (New York, N.Y.)) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Science: journal h-index 1,754 (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 | 1992 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 901 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 25.0 citations a year over 36 year(s) since 1992 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 26.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 28 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author John H. Growdon: h-index 101 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 1411529) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
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