Inhibition of energy metabolism down-regulates the Alzheimer related presenilin 2 gene

Defects in energy metabolism and oxidative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). In sporadic AD cases, presenilin 2 (PS2) mRNA levels are decreased in brain areas affected by the disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether mitochondrial dysfunction might influence PS2 gene expression. We demonstrated that the inhibition of energy metabolism by sodium azide down-regulates PS2 gene expression through modification of promoter activity. No one of the analyzed transcription factors, sensitive to redox status of the cell, could explain this effect. Azide effect on PS2 expression was completely inhibited by the addition of an antioxidant suggesting that the imbalance of the cellular redox homeostasis modulates the expression of this gene.