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β-Site amyloid precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1)-deficient mice exhibit a close homolog of L1 (CHL1) loss-of-function phenotype involving axon guidance defects
Hitt B, Riordan SM, Kukreja L, Eimer WA, Rajapaksha TW, Vassar R.. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2012-09-17
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
BACE1 is the β-secretase enzyme that initiates production of the β-amyloid peptide involved in Alzheimer disease. However, little is known about the functions of BACE1. BACE1-deficient mice exhibit mild but complex neurological phenotypes suggesting therapeutic BACE1 inhibition may not be completely free of mechanism-based side effects.
Key findings
- However, little is known about the functions of BACE1.
- BACE1-deficient mice exhibit mild but complex neurological phenotypes suggesting therapeutic BACE1 inhibition may not be completely free of mechanism-based side effects.
- Recently, we have reported that BACE1 null mice have axon guidance defects in olfactory sensory neuron projections to glomeruli in the olfactory bulb.
- Here, we show that BACE1 deficiency also causes an axon guidance defect in the hippocampus, a shortened and disorganized infrapyramidal bundle of the mossy fiber projection from the dentate gyrus to CA3.
Why it matters
BACE1-deficient mice showed axon guidance defects in the hippocampus as well as the olfactory bulb, suggesting that blocking BACE1 therapeutically may not be free of side effects. This is animal work and reports no treatment, cure or prevention for people.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Journal of biological chemistry) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Journal of Biological Chemistry: journal h-index 780 (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 | 2012 — 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 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “mice”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 148 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.2 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 15 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Robert J. Vassar: h-index 73 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Northwestern University: institution h-index 1,592 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22988240) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.415505
- PubMed: 22988240
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Biological Chemistry →
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hitt, B., Riordan, S. M., Kukreja, L., Eimer, W. A., Rajapaksha, T. W., & Vassar, R. (2012). β-Site amyloid precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1)-deficient mice exhibit a close homolog of L1 (CHL1) loss-of-function phenotype involving axon guidance defects. The Journal of biological chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m112.415505
Vancouver
Hitt B, Riordan SM, Kukreja L, Eimer WA, Rajapaksha TW, Vassar R. β-Site amyloid precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1)-deficient mice exhibit a close homolog of L1 (CHL1) loss-of-function phenotype involving axon guidance defects. The Journal of biological chemistry. 2012. doi:10.1074/jbc.m112.415505. PMID: 22988240.
BibTeX
@article{hitt2012-22988240,
author = {Hitt, B. and Riordan, S. M. and Kukreja, L. and Eimer, W. A. and Rajapaksha, T. W. and Vassar, R.},
title = {{β-Site amyloid precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1)-deficient mice exhibit a close homolog of L1 (CHL1) loss-of-function phenotype involving axon guidance defects}},
journal = {The Journal of biological chemistry},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1074/jbc.m112.415505},
pmid = {22988240},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m112.415505}
}
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