First Author | Qyang Y | Year | 2004 |
Journal | Biochemistry | Volume | 43 |
Issue | 18 | Pages | 5352-9 |
PubMed ID | 15122901 | Mgi Jnum | J:115485 |
Mgi Id | MGI:3691764 | Doi | 10.1021/bi049826u |
Citation | Qyang Y, et al. (2004) Myeloproliferative disease in mice with reduced presenilin gene dosage: effect of gamma-secretase blockage. Biochemistry 43(18):5352-9 |
abstractText | Mammalian presenilins (PS) consist of two highly homologous proteins, PS1 and PS2. Because of their indispensable activity in the gamma-secretase cleavage of amyloid precursor protein to generate Abeta peptides, inhibition of PS gamma-secretase activity is considered a potential therapy for Abeta blockage and Alzheimer's disease intervention. However, a variety of other substrates are also subject to PS-dependent processing, and it is thus imperative to understand the consequences of PS inactivation in vivo. Here we report a pivotal role of PS in hematopoiesis. Mice heterozygous for PS1 and homozygous for PS2 (PS1(+/)(-)PS2(-)(/)(-)) developed splenomegaly with severe granulocyte infiltration. This was preceded by an overrepresentation of granulocytic cells in the bone marrow and a greatly increased multipotent granulocyte-monocyte progenitor in the spleen. In contrast, hematopoietic stem cells and T- and B-lymphocytes were not affected. Importantly, treatment of wild-type splenocytes with a gamma-secretase inhibitor directly promoted the granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (GM-CFU). These results establish a critical role of PS in myelopoiesis. Our finding that this activity can be directly modulated by its gamma-secretase activity has important safety implications concerning these inhibitors. |