Amyloid precursor protein accumulation in glioblastoma is associated with altered synaptic dynamics and immune suppression

Abstract

Increased amyloid precursor protein (APP), including both mRNA and protein expression, has been linked to glioblastoma (GBM) yet the physiological effects are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the relationship between APP protein abundance and mRNA expression in GBM. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed significant positive enrichment of neuron projection and synaptic junction gene sets from Gene Ontology. Additionally, several immune-related processes were negatively enriched, suggesting a broad immune suppression associated with increased presence of APP. These findings suggest a multi-faceted role of APP, linking its presence to modulation of synaptic activity as well as the immune microenvironment in GBM tumors.