title: Calpain inhibitors, a treatment for Alzheimer's disease: position paper.
abstract: Calpains modulate processes that govern the function and metabolism of proteins key to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, including tau and amyloid precursor protein. Because activation of the calpain system might contribute to the impairment of synaptic transmission in Alzheimer's disease, we are currently testing the hypotheses that a treatment with calpain inhibitors might restore normal cognition and synaptic transmission in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease, the APP (K670N:M671L)/PS1(M146L) mouse. Findings derived from these studies will provide a novel approach to cognitive enhancement in Alzheimer's disease.
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002154:Calpain / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D053764:Presenilin-1; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D053764:Presenilin-1; D002154:Calpain; D007930:Leucine; C024974:E 64