Starvation triggers Aβ42 generation from human umbilical vascular endothelial cells

Abstract Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is a common feature in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is characterized by amyloid deposit around brain vessels including capillaries. The origin of the amyloid protein of CAA remains controversial. In our work, we provide data to show that primary umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) harbor APP processing secretases and can produce Aβ 42 under starvation. Starvation can increase the secretion of Aβ 42 by altering the expression of β-secretases (BACE1) and γ-secretases (APH and PEN2). This process is regulated by macroautophagy. Suppression of macroautophagy induction by 3MA further increased the level of Aβ 42 produced under starvation in HUVECs. These results suggest that starvation-induced Aβ 42 secretion might contribute to the formation of CAA and hence vascular degeneration in AD.