Increased expression of the amyloid precursor beta-secretase in Alzheimer's disease.
Beta-secretase cleavage represents the first step in the generation of Abeta polypeptides and initiates the amyloid cascade that leads to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. By comparative Western blot analysis, we show a 2.7-fold increase in protein expression of the beta-secretase enzyme BACE in the brain cortex of Alzheimer's disease patients as compared to age-matched controls. Similarly, we found the levels of the amyloid precursor protein C-terminal fragment produced by beta-secretase to be increased by nearly twofold in Alzheimer's disease cortex.
Department of Pathology, Mental Health Research Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
R M Damian
RM
Holsinger
Catriona A
CA
McLean
Konrad
K
Beyreuther
Colin L
CL
Masters
Geneviève
G
Evin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D010450:Endopeptidases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C509280:BACE1 protein, human