Differential amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene expression was investigated in primary cultures of astrocytes, neurons and microglia from neonatal rat cerebral cortex as well as in meninges, and young and adult cerebral cortex tissues in order to define the possible contribution of individual CNS cell types in beta AP deposition. Meninges and neurons contained higher levels of total APP mRNA than glial cells and APP695 mRNA was abundant in neurons while glial cells and meninges contained higher levels of KPI-containing mRNAs. These results demonstrate cell-specific transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of APP gene expression in CNS cell types. In addition, the steady-state level of APPs in each cell type did not reflect mRNA levels indicating translational or post-translational regulation.
