RTN1 and RTN3 protein are differentially associated with senile plaques in Alzheimer’s brains

Reticulon proteins (RTNs), consisting of RTN1 to RTN4, were previously shown to interact with BACE1 by negatively modulating its secretase activity. In RTN3-null mice, RTN1 expression was slightly elevated. To understand the in vivo role of RTN1, we generated RTN1-null mice and compared the effects of RTN1 and RTN3 on BACE1 modulation. We show that RTN1 is mostly expressed by neurons and not by glial cells under normal conditions, similar to the expression of RTN3. However, RTN1 is more localized in dendrites and is an excellent marker for dendrites of Purkinje cells, while RTN3 expression is less evident in dendrites. This differential localization also correlates with their associations with amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s brains: RTN3, but not RTN1, is abundantly enriched in dystrophic neurites. RTN3 deficiency causes elevation of BACE1 protein levels, while RTN1 deficiency shows no obvious effects on BACE1 activity due to compensation by RTN3, as RTN1 deficiency causes elevation of RTN3 expression. Hence, expression of RTN1 and RTN3 is tightly regulated in mouse brains. Together, our data show that RTN1 and RTN3 have differential effects on the formation of senile plaques in Alzheimer’s brains and that RTN3 has a more prominent role in Alzheimer’s pathogenesis.