The emerging role of cystatins in Alzheimer's disease.
Recently opposing effects of cysteine protease inhibitors, the human cystatins, on neurodegeneration have been reported. Human cystatin C is a risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), whereas human stefin B (cystatin B) has no direct involvement in AD. Conflicting data show that their target protease, cathepsin B, might be anti-amyloidogenic, helping in amyloid-beta (Abeta) clearance or, instead, might be involved in Abeta production. Some reports claim that cystatin C binds soluble Abeta, making transgenic animals healthier, others, in contrast, that deleting cystatins genes may contribute to amyloid pathology in animal models of AD.
Zerovnik
Eva
E
Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, JoZef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. eva.zerovnik@ijs.si
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015891:Cystatins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D015891:Cystatins; D002401:Cathepsin B