Cholesterol: from heart attacks to Alzheimer's disease.
The accumulation and aggregation of the amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) in the brain are important contributing factors to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Consequently, blocking the generation of Abeta is a potentially important treatment strategy. Recent work on the metabolism of Abeta has identified several cellular proteins and proteases that collectively promote or prevent the generation of Abeta. In addition, accumulating in vitro and in vivo evidence suggests a role for cholesterol in modulating the cellular processing of Abeta with the potential to affect AD.
Raffai
Robert L
RL
Department of Pathology, Gladstone Institutes of Cardiovascular Disease and Neurological Disease, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94141-9100, USA.
Weisgraber
Karl H
KH
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072556:Cholesterol 24-Hydroxylase; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D002784:Cholesterol; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D000072556:Cholesterol 24-Hydroxylase