title: Amyloid precursor protein, presenilins, and alpha-synuclein: molecular pathogenesis and pharmacological applications in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia that arises on a neuropathological background of amyloid plaques containing beta-amyloid (A beta) derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tau-rich neurofibrillary tangles. To date, the cause and progression of both familial and sporadic AD have not been fully elucidated. The autosomal-dominant inherited forms of early-onset Alzheimer's disease are caused by mutations in the genes encoding APP, presenilin-1 (chromosome 14), and presenilin-2 (chromosome 1). APP is processed by several different proteases such as secretases and/or caspases to yield A beta and carboxyl-terminal fragments, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are associated with the cerebral accumulation of A beta and alpha-synuclein, respectively. Some patients have clinical and pathological features of both diseases, raising the possibility of overlapping pathogenic pathways. Recent studies have strongly suggested the possible pathogenic interactions between A beta, presenilins, and/or alpha-synuclein. Therefore, treatments that block the accumulation of A beta and alpha-synuclein might benefit a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders. This review covers the trafficking and processing of APP, amyloid cascade hypothesis in AD pathogenesis, physiological and pathological roles of presenilins, molecular characteristics of alpha-synuclein, their interactions, and therapeutic strategies for AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Creative Research Initiative Center for Alzheimer's Dementia and Neuroscience Research Institute, MRC, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. yhsun@plaza.snu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Yoo-Hun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Checler
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053764:Presenilin-1; D053766:Presenilin-2; D021381:Protein Transport; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C508853:PSEN1 protein, human; C508861:PSEN2 protein, human; D053764:Presenilin-1; D053766:Presenilin-2; C497604:SNCA protein, human; C497605:Snca protein, mouse; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein