title: Amyloid, presenilins, and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: The regulated intramembrane proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) that results in the generation of a toxic 40 to 42 amino acid fragment, Abeta, and a C-terminal intracellular fragment stands central in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. The fibrillar Abeta peptide is extracellularly deposited in plaques in the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the neocortex of affected individuals. The APP intracellular fragment binds to transcription factors and is translocated to the nucleus, where it influences transcription. Regulated intramembrane proteolysis of APP is dependent on the activity of a multimeric protein complex of which the essential components are presenilin, nicastrin, PEN-2, and APH-1. Further research into this emerging field of presenilin-dependent APP proteolysis within the plane of the membrane might reveal the necessity of an additional transport step-bringing substrate and enzyme together-before APP can actually be processed.
authors.affiliation: Neuronal Member Trafficking Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics, Flanders Interuniversity Institute of Biotechnology (VIB04), Gasthuisberg, KULeuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Gassen
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Annaert
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053764:Presenilin-1
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C508853:PSEN1 protein, human; D053764:Presenilin-1; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D010450:Endopeptidases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C509280:BACE1 protein, human