title: Transition-state analogue inhibitors of gamma-secretase bind directly to presenilin-1.
abstract: The beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta-APP), which is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and the Notch receptor, which is responsible for critical signalling events during development, both undergo unusual proteolysis within their transmembrane domains by unknown gamma-secretases. Here we show that an affinity reagent designed to interact with the active site of gamma-secretase binds directly and specifically to heterodimeric forms of presenilins, polytopic proteins that are mutated in hereditary Alzheimer's and are known mediators of gamma-secretase cleavage of both beta-APP and Notch. These results provide evidence that heterodimeric presenilins contain the active site of gamma-secretase, and validate presenilins as principal targets for the design of drugs to treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Esler
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Kimberly
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Ostaszewski
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rahmati
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Selkoe
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wolfe
mesh_terms: D000345:Affinity Labels; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D019281:Dimerization; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008861:Microsomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D053764:Presenilin-1; D053766:Presenilin-2; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011485:Protein Binding; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000345:Affinity Labels; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C508853:PSEN1 protein, human; C508861:PSEN2 protein, human; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D053764:Presenilin-1; D053766:Presenilin-2; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D010450:Endopeptidases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C509280:BACE1 protein, human