title: Epidermal growth factor receptor is a preferred target for treating amyloid-β-induced memory loss.
abstract: Current understanding of amyloid-β (Aβ) metabolism and toxicity provides an extensive list of potential targets for developing drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease. We took two independent approaches, including synaptic-plasticity-based analysis and behavioral screening of synthetic compounds, for identifying single compounds that are capable of rescuing the Aβ-induced memory loss in both transgenic fruit fly and transgenic mouse models. Two clinically available drugs and three synthetic compounds not only showed positive effects in behavioral tests but also antagonized the Aβ oligomers-induced activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Such surprising converging outcomes from two parallel approaches lead us to conclude that EGFR is a preferred target for treating Aβ-induced memory loss.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Protein Sciences of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences,  Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084,  China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hsueh-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Wenjuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Zuolei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xinsheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Shuwen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008559:Memantine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib; D008559:Memantine