title: DSCR1(Adapt78)--a Janus gene providing stress protection but causing Alzheimer's disease?
abstract: Alzheimer's disease is associated with the formation of paired helical filaments composed of hyperphospharylated tau protein. Phosphatase 2B, calcineurin can dephosphorylate the tau protein and, therefore, might prevent the assembly of paired helical filaments and even Alzheimer's disease. Calcipressin 1, the DSCR1(Adapt78) gene product, can bind and inactivate calcineurin. Here we hypothesize that while short-term induction of calcipressin1 can provide stress protection, its long-term or chronic induction may cause gradual accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, eventually leading to Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center, Division of Molecular and Computational Biology, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191, USA.
authors.forename: Gennady
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ermak
authors.forename: Kelvin J A
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C108612:RCAN1 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016875:tau Proteins; D019703:Calcineurin