Ras signal triggers β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) expression

Abstract

It has recently been discovered that the Drosophila β-amyloid protein precursor like (Appl) gene, the ortholog of the human β-Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) gene, is transcriptionally activated by receptor tyrosine kinase activity that involves Ras/MAPK signaling in vivo. This regulation is specifically controlled in photoreceptor neurons of the Drosophila retina. This suggests that some cases of Alzheimer's disease, those which have been associated with high expression of the APP gene, may involve Ras signal transduction. © 2013 Landes Bioscience.